KY'ANITE, noun [Gr. sky colored. It is written also cyanite, but most improperly, if pronounced kyanite kyanite is doubtless the preferable orthography.]

A mineral found both massive and in regular crystals. It is frequently in broad or compressed six-sided prisms, with bases a little inclined; or this crystal may be viewed as a four sided prism, truncated on two of its lateral edges, diagonally opposite. Its prevailed color is blue, whence its name, but varying from a fine Prussian blue to sky-blue, or bluish white. It occurs also of various shades of green, and even gray, or white and reddish. It is infusible by the common blowpipe. This mineral is called by Hauy and Brongniart, disthene, and by Saussure, sappare.