[ OE. bales, balais, F. balais, LL. balascus, fr. Ar. balakhsh, so called from Badakhshan, Balashan, or Balaxiam, a place in the neighborhood of Samarkand, where this ruby is found. ] (Min.) A variety of spinel ruby, of a pale rose red, or inclining to orange. See Spinel. [ 1913 Webster ]

n.; pl. Rubies [ F. rubis (cf. Pr. robi), LL. rubinus, robinus, fr. L. rubeus red, reddish, akin to ruber. See Rouge, red. ] 1. (Min.) A precious stone of a carmine red color, sometimes verging to violet, or intermediate between carmine and hyacinth red. It is a red crystallized variety of corundum. [ 1913 Webster ]

☞ Besides the true or Oriental ruby above defined, there are the balas ruby, or ruby spinel, a red variety of spinel, and the rock ruby, a red variety of garnet. [ 1913 Webster ]

Of rubies, sapphires, and pearles white. Chaucer. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. The color of a ruby; carmine red; a red tint. [ 1913 Webster ]

The natural ruby of your cheeks. Shak. [ 1913 Webster ]

3. That which has the color of the ruby, as red wine. Hence, a red blain or carbuncle. [ 1913 Webster ]

4. (Print.) See Agate, n., 2. [ Eng. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

5. (Zool.) Any species of South American humming birds of the genus Clytolaema. The males have a ruby-colored throat or breast. [ 1913 Webster ]

Ruby of arsenic,
Ruby of sulphur (Chem.), a glassy substance of a red color and a variable composition, but always consisting chiefly of the disulphide of arsenic; -- called also ruby sulphur. --
Ruby of zinc (Min.), zinc sulphide; the mineral zinc blende or sphalerite. --
Ruby silver (Min.), red silver. See under Red. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. Ruby-colored; red; as, ruby lips. [ 1913 Webster ]

v. t. [ imp. & p. p. Rubied p. pr. & vb. n. Rubying. ] To make red; to redden. [ R. ] Pope. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. (Zool.) A European gold wasp (Chrysis ignita) which has the under side of the abdomen bright red, and the other parts deep bluish green with a metallic luster. The larva is parasitic in the nests of other wasps and of bees. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. Having the tail, or lower part of the body, bright red. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. (Zool.) Any one of numerous species of humming birds belonging to Trochilus, Calypte, Stellula, and allies, in which the male has on the throat a brilliant patch of red feathers having metallic reflections; esp., the common humming bird of the Eastern United States (Trochilus colubris). [ 1913 Webster ]

n. red sandalwood. See under Sandalwood. [ 1913 Webster ]