ultramarine

Meanings

1. 1
   noun

   a vivid deep-blue pigment originally made by grinding lapis lazuli and now also produced synthetically

   The painter reserved costly natural ultramarine for the central figure's robe.

2. 2
   noun

   the intense blue to violet-blue color of ultramarine pigment

   The dragonfly's abdomen shone a vivid ultramarine in the sun.

3. 3
   adj

   having a vivid deep-blue or violet-blue color

   An ultramarine stripe crossed the bird's otherwise pale wing.

4. 4
   adj

   historical: situated or originating beyond the sea

   The ministry administered several ultramarine territories.

Appears in

Simplified etymology

Ultramarine descends from Latin ultramarinus, “beyond the sea.” The brilliant blue pigment was originally made from lapis lazuli brought from Afghanistan, and forms descended from the Latin term became the pigment’s name in most European languages.

From Medieval Latin ultramarinus ("beyond the sea"), from ultra ("beyond") + marinus ("of the sea"). The pigment took this name because lapis lazuli reached Europe from lands beyond the Mediterranean.

Topics

External links

• Google Images
• Cambridge Dictionary
• Wiktionary