Lapis lazuli (from the Latin lapis, 'stone', and the Classical Arabic lāzaward, itself derived from the Persian lağvard or lažvard, itself derived from the Sanskrit rājāvarta, 'king's curl') is a metamorphic rock used as a semiprecious stone that has been highly prized since antiquity for its intense color. Its name comes from the Persian word for gem, lažvard, which has served as the root for the word "blue" in languages such as Spanish and Portuguese, and "azure" in English. Lapis lazuli is a rock composed primarily of the minerals lazurite, pyrite, sodalite, and calcite.