agate

noun

ag·​ate ˈa-gət 

often attributive

1

: a fine-grained variegated chalcedony having its colors arranged in stripes, blended in clouds, or showing mosslike forms

2

: something made of or fitted with agate: such as

a

: a drawplate used by gold-wire drawers

b

: a playing marble of agate

3

a

: a size of type approximately 5¹/₂ point

b

: condensed information (such as advertisements or box scores) set especially in agate type

Examples of agate in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

This Air sign is notorious for avoiding confrontation, so blue agate is a must-have. —Valerie Mesa, People.com, 27 Sep. 2024

For example, a 1st century Roman gold ring is set with a large white-on-brown agate cameo depicting a bust length portrait of a Bacchante. —Anthony Demarco, Forbes, 6 Sep. 2024

The single piece of agate was shaped into a bowl with a delicate foot and a flattened rim. —Tori Latham, Robb Report, 21 July 2024

The carved agate bowl was handmade in Paris in the 1930s, and it’s offered here in pristine condition, nestled in the original leather box that Cartier had custom-made for it. —Tori Latham, Robb Report, 21 July 2024

Word History

Etymology

Middle English achates, accate, agaten, borrowed from Anglo-French & Latin; Anglo-French achate, agathe, borrowed from Latin achātēs, borrowed from Greek achā́tēs, of uncertain origin

Note: According to Theophrastus and Pliny, the stone was named after a river in Sicily. Modern etymologists seem disinclined to believe this and suggest that the river was named after the stone. The voiced stop in the medieval French forms, which has become the dominant form in Modern French and English, begins to appear in Medieval Latin, and may be owed to Medieval Latin agapis, a word of obscure origin used for both the agate and lapis lazuli; it has been suggested that agapis is itself a distortion of achates (crossed with Latin lapis "stone"?), though this is far from clear.

First Known Use

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Phrases Containing agate

• agate line
• agate ware
• moss agate

Kids Definition

agate

noun

ag·​ate ˈag-ət 

1

: a smooth-looking quartz having its colors arranged in stripes or forms that look like clouds or moss

2

: a playing marble of agate or glass