diamantine

English

Etymology

From Middle French diamantin, from diamant (“diamond”) + -in (“-ine”).

Adjective

diamantine (comparative more diamantine, superlative most diamantine)

Consisting of or resembling diamond.
- 1605, Iosephus Quersitanus, “Moses in his Genesis sheweth the three beginnings Philosophicall which are in euery thing created”, in Thomas Timme, transl., The Practise of Chymicall, and Hermeticall Physicke, for the Preseruation of Health, London: […] Thomas Creede, “The First Booke of the Practise of Chymicall Physicke”:
  This was the worke of God, that hée might ſeparate the Pure from the Impure: that is to ſay, that he might reduce the more pure and Ethereal Mercury, the more pure and inextinguible Sulphur, the more pure, and more fixed ſalte, into ſhyning and inextinguible Starres and Lights, into a Chriſtalline and Dyamantine ſubſtance, or moſt ſimple Bodie, which is called Heauen, the higheſt, and fourth formall Element, and that from the ſame, the Formes as it were ſéedes, might be powred forth into the moſt groſſe elements, to the generation of all things.
- 1676 December 14, “More Observations of Monsieur Taverniers Voyages; promised in the next foregoing Tract”, in Philosophical Transactions: Giving Some Accompt of the Present Undertakings, Studies and Labours of the Ingenious in Many Considerable Parts of the World, volume XI, number 130, London: […] T. R. for John Martyn, […], page 755:
  […] the Mine-men having little Iron-hooks, with which they fetch out the Diamantin-oar: […].
- 1827, James Montgomery, “The Pelican Island”, in The Pelican Island, and Other Poems, Philadelphia, Pa.: E. Littell, […], and J. Grigg, […], canto ninth, page 93:
  […] Day after day he pierced the dark abyss, / Till he had reach’d its diamantine floor.
- 1900, Carl Jaeger, Verana: A Tale of Border Life, The Abbey Press, pages 30–31:
  It beats the mischief what fools we men will sometimes make of ourselves when a petticoat of the latest style, or a face of the dear old style—when women could smile honestly and sweetly, when their hands trembled without any diamantine rings—happens to enthrall us, and makes us feel as though we forgave the fellow that got the best of us in to-day’s business transactions.
- 1988, Luis de Góngora y Argote, translated by Miroslav John Hanak, The Fable of Polyphemus and Galatea, Peter Lang, →ISBN, page 99:
  […] capable to break through any protective shield of bronze or of diamantine walls: […].
- 1991, Louvre: The Collections, →ISBN, page 334:
  […] during the 19th century, this relief still bears the arms and diamantine ring which identify Piero de Medici (1416-1469) as the original owner.
- 1992, Howard M. Fraser, Richard W. S. Pryke, In the Presence of Mystery: Modernist Fiction and the Occult, →ISBN, page 15:
  While attempting to escape through the walls of the cave, the woman died as the mine’s diamantine walls tore her flesh her to shreds and, when her blood combined with the diamonds, rubies formed.
- 2017, Ashok K[umar] Banker, The Children Of Midnight (The Epic Mahabharata; book 1), Jaico Publishing House, →ISBN:
  Shrutakirti paused in the act of fixing a diamantine necklace around Kunti's throat.
- 2020 May 5, Robin George Andrews, “Antarctica Wins by KO, Again and Again”, in The New York Times, section D, page 5:
  At the start of January, the same month the world marked the 200th anniversary of the discovery of Antarctica, scientists on snowmobiles were zipping across its diamantine ice, dragging a rig of metal detectors in their wake.
(obsolete) Hard as diamond, adamantine.