sardonyx (sardoniks)

[= F. sardonyx = Pr. sardonic = Sp. sardónix = Pg. sardonyx It. sardonico, cedony or agate consisting of two or more layers of brown or red combined with white or other color. Since about 1870 the name has been given to a chalcedony stained with various shades of red to deep brown.-2. In her., a tincture, the color murrey or sanguine, when blazoning is done by precious stones. - Oriental sardonyx, any sardonyx the component layers of which are of a fine color and sharply defined. See sari .