purple of Cassius

noun

A pigment formed from gold and tin salts, used in glassmaking.

Meanings

nounpurple of Cassius (uncountable)
  1. historicaluncountableA pigment formed from gold and tin salts, used in glassmaking.

    Purple of Cassius was used not just by glassmakers but by porcelain manufacturers to make a fine red glaze.

    2002, Philip Ball, The Elements: A Very Short Introduction, Oxford, published 2004, page 61

    Synonyms: gold purple

Synonyms & antonyms

nounA pigment formed from gold and tin salts, used in glassmaking.

Also see

Origin

Named for Andreas Cassius, a glassmaker from Potsdam who first described its creation.

Full word history & related roots →

Translations

Italian cassio
  • cassiopigment
Cite this entry
APA

purple of Cassius. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 5, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/purple%20of%20Cassius

MLA

“purple of Cassius.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/purple%20of%20Cassius. Accessed November 5, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “purple of Cassius,” accessed November 5, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/purple%20of%20Cassius.

Source: purple of Cassius on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.