Noble Meek Ruby

Latin nōbilis, well-known / illustrious — sharing root with gnōscere (to know). As a color modifier, noble implies a saturated-and-dignified-and-aristocratic quality, the deep-rich color of pre-modern European noble-class hereditary-aristocratic livery-and-armorial bearings. Sits at the bold-and-aristocratic end of the grid, parallel to aristocratic and highborn in usage.

Old Norse mjúkr, soft-and-gentle. As a color modifier, meek implies a hushed-and-self-effacing-and-quiet quality, the visual register of Beatitude-and-Quaker-meeting-meek hand-bowed-and-self-effacing-and-quiet Beatitude-and-Quaker-meeting-and-monastic-cloister meek-and-bowed-and-quieted surfaces under Beatitude-and-Quaker-meeting-and-monastic-cloister hush-and-bowed-vigil candle-lit-light. Sits at the modifier-and-mood end of the grid, parallel to coy and mute in usage.

From the Latin ruber — simply, red. The gemstone is a chromium-tinged corundum, harder than anything in nature except diamond, and so saturated that a fine Burmese pigeon's blood ruby at auction outpaces a comparable diamond by weight. The color borrows the gem's confidence: a clear, glassy red without the brown of garnet or the blue of crimson.