c(h)alcedony

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c(h)alcedony precious stone (now a subspecies of quartz). The present forms, dating from XV–XVI, are — L. c(h)alcēdonius — Gr. khalkēdṓn (Rev. 21: 19), assumed to mean ‘stone of Chalcedon’ in Asia Minor, but var. L. forms carc(h)edonia, -ius led to the assoc. with Carthage (Gr. Karkhḗdōn). Earlier forms, cassidoine, calcidoine, etc. (from XIII) were — OF.

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