Definitions

from The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, 5th Edition.

  • noun A rose-red to orange spinel used as a semiprecious gem, once confused with the ruby.

from The Century Dictionary.

  • noun A variety of spinel ruby, of a pale rose-red color, sometimes inclining to orange. See spinel. Usually called balas-ruby.
  • noun A long dagger intended for thrusting rather than cutting, used by the Turks; a Turkish yataghan.

from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License.

  • noun archaic A type of rose-coloured spinel once thought to be a form of ruby (now usually used attributively: balas-ruby).

from WordNet 3.0 Copyright 2006 by Princeton University. All rights reserved.

  • noun a pale rose-colored variety of the ruby spinel

Etymologies

from The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, 4th Edition

[Middle English, from Old French balais and from Old Spanish balax; both akin to Medieval Latin balascus, from Arabic balaḫš, from Persian Badakhshān, a region of northeast Afghanistan.]

from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License

From Old French balais, from Arabic بلخش (balakhsh), from Persian بدخشان (badakhshān, "Badakhshan"), the region where they are found.

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Examples

  • It is possible that the Arabic word balas, a profligate, wicked person, may have influenced Muhammad in the formation of the word Eblis.

    The Koran (Al-Qur'an) 1854

  • The white were pearls; the sparkling and transparent Were diamonds; the deep red were rubies; the paler, a particular sort of ruby called balas; the green, emeralds; the blue, turquoises; the violet, amethysts; those tinged with yellow, sapphires.

    The Elson Readers, Book 5 Christine M. Keck

  • Só esqueceram de avisar que os estudantes estavam “armados” com rosas e a polícia com armas e balas!

    Global Voices in English » Brazil: The country’s largest university becomes a battlefield 2009

  • Estas armas no sero canhes, bombas ou balas, mas sim, um polmico escudo antimsseis, cujo projeto e desenvolvimento devem custar US$ 7,9 bilhes.

    Notcias - Aviso aos Navegantes!!! by Sonialotus: Projeto Haarp 2 ... admin 2009

  • Estas armas no sero canhes, bombas ou balas, mas sim, um polmico escudo antimsseis, cujo projeto e desenvolvimento devem custar US$ 7,9 bilhes.

    Archive 2009-12-01 admin 2009

  • Estas armas no sero canhes, bombas ou balas, mas sim, um polmico escudo antimsseis, cujo projeto e desenvolvimento devem custar US$ 7,9 bilhes.

    Hot Board: Notcias - Aviso aos Navegantes!!! by Sonialotus ... admin 2009

  • And yet his work stands out from the ruck of the contemporary versifiers as a balas ruby among carrots.

    Chapter 32 2010

  • Estas armas no sero canhes, bombas ou balas, mas sim, um polmico escudo antimsseis, cujo projeto e desenvolvimento devem custar US$ 7,9 bilhes.

    Archive 2009-12-01 admin 2009

  • Me cedo feliz sabiendo que aquí jugamos con las balas de palabras que pegan el pecho y sueltan las flores.

    Amor y romanticismo 6 2008

  • Me cedo feliz sabiendo que aquí jugamos con las balas de palabras que pegan el pecho y realizan las flores.

    Amor y romanticismo 6 2008

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