Etymology

agate

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Today it means: A semitransparent, uncrystallized silicate mineral and semiprecious stone, presenting various tints in the same specimen, with colors delicately arranged and often curved in parallel alternating dark and light stripes or bands, or blended in clouds; various authorities call it a variety of chalcedony, a variety of quartz, or a combination of the two. Full definition →

Middle French agathe ← Latin achatēs ← Ancient Greek ἀχάτης
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agate · noun1

  1. Ancient Greek · derived fromἀχάτης“agate”
  2. Latin · derived fromachatēs
  3. Middle French · derived fromagathe
  4. English todayagate

From Middle French agathe, from Latin achatēs, from Ancient Greek ἀχάτης (akhátēs, “agate”).

agate · adverb2

  1. Middle English · inherited fromagate
  2. English todayagate

From Late Middle English agate, a gate. Equivalent to a- (“on”) + gate (“way, path”).

Etymology from Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.