amethyst

英文詞源

amethyst

amethyst: [13] The amethyst gets its name from a supposition in the ancient world that it was capable of preventing drunkenness. The Greek word for ‘intoxicate’ was methúskein, which was based ultimately on the noun methú ‘wine’ (source of English methyl, and related to English mead). The addition of the negative prefix a- ‘not’ produced the adjective améthustos, used in the phrase líthos améthustos ‘anti-intoxicant stone’. This was borrowed as a noun into Latin (amethystus), and ultimately into Old French as ametiste. English took it over and in the 16th century re-introduced the -th- spelling of the Latin word.
=> mead, methyl

amethyst (n.)

violet quartz, late 13c., ametist, from Old French ametiste (Modern French améthyste) and directly from Medieval Latin amatistus, from Latin amethystus, from Greek amethystos "amethyst," literally "not intoxicating," from a- "not" + methyskein "make drunk," from methys "wine" (see mead (n.1)); based on the stone's ancient reputation for preventing drunkenness, which was perhaps sympathetic magic suggested by its wine-like color. People wore rings made of it before drinking. Spelling restored from Middle English ametist.