Alabaster Definition
ălə-băstər
noun
A dense, translucent, white or tinted fine-grained gypsum.
American Heritage
A translucent, whitish, fine-grained variety of gypsum, used for statues, vases, etc.
Webster's New World
A variety of hard calcite, translucent and sometimes banded.
American Heritage
A variety of calcite found esp. in stalactites and stalagmites: it is sometimes streaked or mottled like marble.
Webster's New World
A pale yellowish pink to yellowish gray.
American Heritage
adjective
Of or like alabaster; esp., smooth and white.
Webster's New World
Made of alabaster.
The crown is stored in an alabaster box with an onyx handle and a gold lock.
Wiktionary
Resembling alabaster: white, pale, translucent.
An ominous alabaster fog settled in the valley.
Wiktionary
Synonyms:
Other Word Forms of Alabaster
Noun
Singular:
alabaster
Plural:
alabastersOrigin of Alabaster
-
From Old French alabastre, from Latin alabaster (“box for perfume made of alabaster”), from Ancient Greek ἀλάβαστρος (alabastros), from earlier ἀλάβαστος (alabastos, “vase made of alabaster”). This may further derive from the ancient Egyptian word [Egyptian hieroglyphic?] (a-labaste, “vessel of the Egyptian goddess Bast”).
From Wiktionary
Middle English alabastre from Old French from Latin alabaster from Greek alabastros, alabastos possibly of Egyptian origin
From American Heritage Dictionary of the English Language, 5th Edition
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