What does amethyst mean?
Word: Amethyst
Part of Speech: Noun
Meaning: Amethyst means a purple gemstone often set in rings and necklaces.
How do you spell amethyst?
Syllables: am - e - thyst
Tricky part: The i sound in the last part is spelt y, which is why amethist is such a common slip. Few words hide a y in this spot, so it has to be learnt.
Watch out for: amethist, amethyste
Memory tip: Picture the stone as a letter y with its two arms raised to the light. That y sits where your ear expects an i.
Amethyst in a sentence
Example 1: Grandmother's ring has a small amethyst set in silver.
Example 2: We saw a lump of rough amethyst at the Natural History Museum in London.
Example 3: The jeweller held the amethyst up to the window and it glowed.
Fun Fact
Amethyst is a form of quartz, the same mineral as ordinary clear rock crystal, and it can slowly fade if it is left in strong sunlight for a long time.
Practise the CREST Way
Word Cookie
Insert the correct pair of letters to form a word:
am_t_yst
a) a, h
b) e, t
c) e, h
d) i, h
Show answer
c) e, h. The first gap takes the same vowel that opens the word eleven, and the second makes th.
Word Cookie
Find the extra letter in the word:
ammethyst
a) e
b) m
c) t
d) s
Show answer
b) m. Only one m is needed after the opening a.
Mingle-Mangle
Form a meaningful word from the jumbled letters:
aesthtmy
a) amethyst
b) empathy
c) anything
d) mystery
Show answer
a) amethyst. The jumble has two t's and an s, and only one of the four words can use them all.
Spell-o-Spell
Choose the correctly spelt word:
a) sapphier
b) emarald
c) amethyst
d) turqoise
Show answer
c) amethyst. Sapphire ends in ire, turquoise keeps a u after the q, and emerald has e in its second beat.
Multiple Choice Questions
1. A jeweller is sorting stones by colour. In which tray does an amethyst belong?
a) with the violet stones
b) with the green stones
c) with the red stones
d) with the yellow stones
Show answer
a) with the violet stones
2. What best describes an amethyst?
a) a fabric valued for its softness
b) a metal valued for its strength
c) a mineral valued for its colour
d) a plant valued for its scent
Show answer
c) a mineral valued for its colour
