Ăd'a-mant, n.
n. [Lat. adamas, gen. adamantis, Gr. ἀδάμας, -αντος, the hardest iron, steel, diamond, prop. untamable, infrangible, from ἀ priv. and δαμᾶν, to tame, subdue. Chaucer uses adamant for the lode-stone: Romaunt of the Rose, l. 1182. Pr. adiman, aziman, ariman, äiman, O. Fr. äimant, N. Fr. aimant, Sp. & Pg. iman, L. Lat. adamas, denote also the lode-stone. Cf. DIAMOND.]
Sense 1. A stone imagined by some to be of impenetrable hardness; a name given to the diamond and other substances of extreme hardness; but in modern mineralogy it has no technical signification.
Opposed the rocky orb Of tenfold adamant, his ample shield. Milton.
Sense 2. Lode-stone: “A great adamant of acquaintance.” Bacon.
As true to thee as steel to adamant. Green.