What is "agate"

Chalcedony \Chal*ced"o*ny\ (k[a^]l*s[e^]d"[-o]*n[y^] or k[a^]l"s[-e]*d[-o]*n[y^]; 277), n.; pl. Chalcedonies (-n[i^]z). [ L. chalcedonius, fr. Gr. CHalkhdw`n Chalcedon, a town in Asia Minor, opposite to Byzantium: cf. calc['e]doine, OE. calcidoine, casidoyne. Cf. Cassidony.] (Min.) A cryptocrystalline, translucent variety of quartz, having usually a whitish color, and a luster nearly like wax.

Note: When chalcedony is variegated with with spots or figures, or arranged in differently colored layers, it is called agate; and if by reason of the thickness, color, and arrangement of the layers it is suitable for being carved into cameos, it is called onyx. Chrysoprase is green chalcedony; carnelian, a flesh red, and sard, a brownish red variety. [1913 Webster] ||

1560s, from Middle French agathe (16c.), from Latin achates, from Greek akhates, the name of a river in Sicily where the stones were found (Pliny). But the river could as easily be named for the stone.\n

\nThe earlier English form of the word, achate (early 13c.), was directly from Latin. Figurative sense of "a diminutive person" (c.1600) is from the now-obsolete meaning "small figures cut in agates for seals," preserved in typographer's agate (1838), the U.S. name of the 5.5-point font called in Great Britain ruby. Meaning "toy marble made of glass resembling agate" is from 1843 (colloquially called an aggie).

Etymology 1 n. 1 (context countable uncountable mineral English) 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. 2 (context uncountable US printing dated English) The size of type between pearl and nonpareil, standardized as 5½-point. 3 (context countable obsolete English) A diminutive person; so called in allusion to the small figures cut in agate for rings and seals. 4 (context countable English) A tool used by gold-wire drawers, bookbinders, etc.;—so called from the agate fixed in it for burnishing. 5 (context slang usually in plural English) A testicle. Etymology 2

adv. (context obsolete English) On the way; agoing.

n. an impure form of quartz consisting of banded chalcedony; used as a gemstone and for making mortars and pestles

Agate is a cryptocrystalline variety of silica, chiefly chalcedony, characterised by its fineness of grain and brightness of color. Although agates may be found in various kinds of rock, they are classically associated with volcanic rocks and can be common in certain metamorphic rocks.

Agate is the designation of an unguided French test rocket. The Agate has a length of 8.50 metres, a diameter of 0.80 metres, a start mass of 3.2 tonnes, a takeoff thrust of 186 kN and a ceiling of 20 km. The Agate was launched from the Hammaguir and Ile de Levant test sites, in order to test instrument capsules and recovery systems.

Agate is a semi-precious stone.

Agate may also refer to:

AGATE (Atelier de Gestion de l'ArchiTEcture des systèmes d'information et de communication) is a framework for modeling computer or communication systems architecture.

It is promoted by the Délégation Générale pour l'Armement (DGA), the French government agency which conducts development and evaluation programs for weapon systems for the French military. All major DGA weapons and information technology system procurements are required to document their proposed system architecture using the set of views prescribed in AGATE.

AGATE is similar to DoDAF, promoted by U.S. Department of Defense (DoD) or MODAF, promoted by UK Ministry of Defence (MoD). It is only available in French.

Agate is a surname shared by several notable people, including:

• Alfred Thomas Agate (1812–1846), American painter and miniaturist
• Frederick Styles Agate (1803–1844), American painter
• James Agate (1877–1947), English literary critic
• Jeffery Agate (1919–1977), British managing director of a DuPont factory
• Mariano Agate (born 1939), Sicilian (Italian) organized crime figure

An agate ( US) or ruby ( UK) is a unit of typographical measure. It is 5.5 typographical points, or about inch (1.81 mm). It can refer to either the height of a line of type or to a font that is 5.5 points. An is commonly used to display statistical data or legal notices in newspapers. It is considered to be the smallest point size that can be printed on newsprint and remain legible.

Due to the small size of agate compared to typical newspaper body text that might be 8 to 10 points and due to its use for statistical, stock, racing or other table uses, the term "agate" may also refer to tables and texts using this point size. The general description "agate" refers to the collection of miscellaneous tables, stock tables, horse racing and sports tables and so forth that may be in a newspaper.

From the American Dictionary of Printing and Bookmaking (1894):