lapis lazuli

Where does the word "lapis lazuli" come from? It comes from Persian lazhward, passing through Arabic and Medieval Latin before entering English (1400s).

Lapis lazuli’s story begins in Persian: lazhward meant “blue, azure.” A place name in Turkestan associated with the blue stone; also blue, azure. By medieval, the word had taken hold in Arabic as lazuward. Adapted from the Persian place name for the deep blue stone. From there it passed into Medieval Latin as lazulum by medieval. Adapted from Arabic for the deep blue stone. Within Medieval Latin, it grew into lapis lazuli by medieval. Combined with lapis (stone) to mean the stone of azure. It reached English by 1400s as lapis lazuli. Mined in the Badakhshan mountains of Afghanistan for 6,000 years; ground into ultramarine pigment. Today, lapis lazuli means a deep blue semi-precious stone, prized since antiquity and ground for pigment.

1. Stage 1 · Persian · ancient lazhward "blue, azure", a place name in Turkestan associated with the blue stone; also blue, azure.
2. Stage 2 · Arabic · medieval lazuward "the deep blue stone", adapted from the Persian place name for the deep blue stone.
3. Stage 3 · Medieval Latin · medieval lazulum "the deep blue stone", adapted from Arabic for the deep blue stone.
4. Stage 4 · Medieval Latin · medieval lapis lazuli "stone of azure", combined with lapis (stone) to mean the stone of azure.
5. Stage 5 · English · 1400s lapis lazuli "a deep blue semi-precious stone", mined in the Badakhshan mountains of Afghanistan for 6,000 years; ground into ultramarine pigment.