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Agate vs Spinel - What's the difference?

agate | spinel |

As nouns the difference between agate and spinel

is that agate is a semi-pellucid, uncrystallized variety of quartz, presenting various tints in the same specimen, with colors delicately arranged in stripes or bands, or blended in clouds while spinel is   Any of several hard minerals of cubic symmetry that are mixed oxides of magnesium and aluminium and are used as gemstones of various colours.

As an adverb agate

is on the way; agoing.

agate

English

Etymology 1

From (etyl) agathe, from (etyl) .

Noun

  • (countable, uncountable, mineral) A semi-pellucid, uncrystallized variety of quartz, presenting various tints in the same specimen, with colors delicately arranged in stripes or bands, or blended in clouds.
  • (uncountable, US, printing) 5.5-point size of type, larger than pearl and smaller than nonpareil; in England called ruby.
  • (countable, obsolete) A diminutive person; so called in allusion to the small figures cut in agate for rings and seals.
  • (countable) A tool used by gold-wire drawers, bookbinders, etc.;—so called from the agate fixed in it for burnishing.
  • (slang, usually in plural) A testicle.
    • Synonyms
    * (printing) ruby (Britain)
    Hyponyms
    * (mineralogy) fortification agate, Scotch pebble; moss agate, clouded agate
    Derived terms
    * moss agate * agate line * agateware
    Related terms
    * aggie

    Etymology 2

    Adverb

    (-)
  • (obsolete) On the way; agoing.
    • to be agate'''; to set the bells '''agate
    (Cotgrave)
    ----

    spinel

    English

    (wikipedia spinel)

    Noun

    (en noun)
  • (mineralogy)   Any of several hard minerals of cubic symmetry that are mixed oxides of magnesium and aluminium and are used as gemstones of various colours.
  • *{{quote-magazine, date=2012-03
    • , author=Lee A. Groat , title=Gemstones , volume=100, issue=2, page=128 , magazine=(American Scientist) citation , passage=Although there are dozens of different types of gems, among the best known and most important are […] . (Common gem materials not addressed in this article include amber, amethyst, chalcedony, garnet, lazurite, malachite, opals, peridot, rhodonite, spinel , tourmaline, turquoise and zircon.)}}
  • (solid state chemistry)   Any crystalline material, not necessarily an oxide, that possesses the same crystal structure as this mineral.
  • Bleached yarn in making the linen tape called inkle; unwrought inkle.
    • (Knight)
    (Webster 1913)

    See also

    * ruby

    Derived terms

    * selenospinel * sulfospinel

    Anagrams

    * * ----