- σάπφειρος
- σάπφειροςGrammatical information: f.Meaning: `lazurite', "sapphire" (Thphr., LXX etc.; on the meaning Schrader-Nehring Reallex. 1, 212).Derivatives: σαπφείρ-ιον (-ππ-) n. `colouring made of σ.' (pap.), -ινος `made of σ.' (pap., Philostr. a.o.).Origin: LW [a loanword which is (probably) not of Pre-Greek origin] Semit.?Etymology: Semit. LW [loanword]; cf. Hebr. sappīr. Further connection with OInd. (lex.) śani-priya- n. name of a dark stone (since A. Müller BB 1, 281) seems quite doubtful. However, in Semit. the word is rather a loanword (Masson, Emprunts sémit. 66 n. 2). --The word looks Pre-Greek (-πφ-, -ειρ-ος). Through Lat. sapphirus the word came in the European languages, Eng. sapphire etc.Page in Frisk: 2,677
Greek-English etymological dictionary (Ελληνικά-Αγγλικά ετυμολογική λεξικό). Robert S.P.. 2010.