Derivations of Mineral Names. 129 
AzuRITE.—The immediate derivation of the word is from N. L. 
azurum, sky-blue. Originally it comes from the Pers. ladyuward, 
or lazuward. In M. H. G. the adjective lassuvar appears, which 
has survived in the H.G. under the form of Lasur and Kupferlasur, 
copper-blue. 
During the reign of Emperor Augustus, about 20 B.c., the 
L. word azulus—Lapis Lazuli—is met with. (M. Vitr. Pollio, the 
architect.) Early in the fourteenth century the N. L. asureus 
occurs, the initial / having disappeared in Latin. In the recent 
forms—It. azzuro, G. azur, Fr. azur, Engl. azwre—the original z 
takes the place of the N. L. s; but in O. Engl. the latter can be 
found :— 
“a broche of gold and assure, 
tn whi a aul set was like an herte.” 
—Chaucer, 1340-1400. 
In the sixteenth century, however, the word had assumed its present 
construction :—- 
- “that deckt the azure field.” 
— Spenser, 1552-1599. 
Lapis Lazuli owes its derivation to the same source, and, like the 
G. Lasur, has retained the initial 1. “ Azurri ultramarinum materia 
ex lapis lazuli” (Cesius, 1636), shows the Latinization of the It. 
wo 
Marcasite is derived from the Ar. markashitsa, pebble.’ The 
word was introduced in the thirteenth century, and was especially 
applied to minerals which showed bright, metal-like lustre (Kiese 
of the Germans). It was known to Alb. Magnus (1280) under the 
form of marehasita, and he characterized it asa mineral out of 
which no metal could be extracted by fire. Two kinds, mainly, 
were distinguished—the one yellow, shining like gold (pyrite, ete.: 
“ Pyrites sine dubio Arabib. marchasita est” [ Agricola, 1546]) ; the 
other, purer and more valuable, like silver (marcasita argeneta of the 
alchemists, bismuth)? One characteristic of the marcasites was 
1 Personal communication from the Arabic scholar, Rev. Wm. Wacker- 
nagel, D.D. 
*“‘Marchasitarum species multe ac diuerse sunt, . . nam alia 
aurea ; alia argentea ; alia cuprea. ab igne non liquefit ; sed per se com- 
buritur. ” (Leonardus, 1610.) 
