Etymology From Middle English asure, from Old French azur, derived from Arabic لَازَوَرْد (lāzaward, “lapis lazuli”), dropping the l as if it were equivalent to the French article l'. The Arabic is from Classical Persian لاجورد (lājward, “lapis lazuli”), from the region of Lajward in Badakhshan. Compare with Italian azzurro and Spanish azul.
1
The clear blue colour of the sky; also, a pigment or dye of this colour.
In robes of azure.1815, William Wordsworth, Extracts from An Evening Walk:
For our blues we have the azures and ceruleans, lapis lazulis, the light and dusty, the powder blues, the deeps: royal, sapphire, navy, and marine […]2014, William H. Gass, On Being Blue: A Philosophical Inquiry, page 59:
Berington of Chester (on the authority of Harleian manuscript No. 1535) is said to bear a plain shield of azure. Personally I doubt this coat of arms […]1904, Arthur Charles Fox-Davies, The Art of Heraldry: An Encyclopaedia of Armory, London : T.C.; & E.C. Jack, page 41:
In Bb [Glover's Roll], the conventional letter B is used to indicate azure in most items.1997, Brault, Early Blazon:
1 more example
Sir Henry "Hotspur" Percy: before 1399: or, a lion rampant azure, differentiated with a label gules (a blue lion rampant on a field of gold, differentiated with a red label signifying the first-born son) […]2010, E. Baumgaertner Wm E. Baumgaertner, Wm E. Baumgaertner, Squires, Knights, Barons, Kings: War and Politics in Fifteenth Century England, Trafford Publishing, →ISBN:
Not like those steps / On heaven's azure.1667, John Milton, “Book I”, in Paradise Lost. […], London: […] [Samuel Simmons], and are to be sold by Peter Parker […]; [a]nd by Robert Boulter […]; [a]nd Matthias Walker, […], →OCLC; republished as Paradise Lost in Ten Books: […], London: Basil Montagu Pickering […], 1873, →OCLC:
Not a single cloud mars the flawless azure; / Not a shadow moves o'er the moveless crops; [...]1889, Mathilde Blind, “[Poems of the Open Air.] Reapers.”, in The Ascent of Man, London: Chatto & Windus, […], →OCLC, page 140:
4
Any of various widely distributed lycaenid butterflies of the genus Celastrina.
5
Any of various Australasian lycaenid butterflies of the genus Ogyris.
Etymology From Middle English asure, from Old French azur, derived from Arabic لَازَوَرْد (lāzaward, “lapis lazuli”), dropping the l as if it were equivalent to the French article l'. The Arabic is from Classical Persian لاجورد (lājward, “lapis lazuli”), from the region of Lajward in Badakhshan. Compare with Italian azzurro and Spanish azul.
1
Sky blue; resembling the clear blue colour of the unclouded sky.
When Britain first, at Heaven's command / Arose from out the azure main.1740, James Thomson, Rule, Britannia!:
‘I forget your coat of arms.’ ‘A human foot d’or, in a field azure; the foot crushes a serpent rampant whose fangs are imbedded in the heel.’1846, Edgar Allan Poe, The Cask of Amontillado:
On the fesse are two bars wavy azure for waterways.1957 February 23, “B.T.C. Armorial Bearings”, in Railway Magazine, page 81:
azure
verb
Etymology From Middle English asure, from Old French azur, derived from Arabic لَازَوَرْد (lāzaward, “lapis lazuli”), dropping the l as if it were equivalent to the French article l'. The Arabic is from Classical Persian لاجورد (lājward, “lapis lazuli”), from the region of Lajward in Badakhshan. Compare with Italian azzurro and Spanish azul.
1
To colour blue.
Our readers are aware that much of the sugar sold in many countries goes through an azuring treatment; blue is added to granulated sugar with the view of making it appear whiter than it actually is.1907, The Sugar Beet, volume 28, page 271: