alabaster
A fine-grained white or lightly-tinted variety of gypsum, used ornamentallyA fine-grained white or lightly-tinted variety of gypsum, used ornamentally.
» A fountain of alabaster stands in the alabaster-paved inner court.
Meaning
4 senses(uncountable, usually)A fine-grained white or lightly-tinted variety of gypsum, used ornamentally.
Alabaster
алеба́стрalebástr
a compact fine-textured, usually white gypsum used for carving
(historical, uncountable, usually)A variety of calcite, translucent and sometimes banded.
(uncountable, usually)A sculpture executed in alabaster.
(uncountable, usually)An off-white color, like that of alabaster.
a very light white
Examples
3 sentencesA fountain of alabaster stands in the alabaster-paved inner court.
Her alabaster brow was furrowed by temporary wrinkles while she thought over plans.
It's made of alabaster.
ruОн сделан из алебастра.
Translations
8 languagesBy meaning 1
By meaning 1
Origin
From Middle English alabastre, from Old French alabastre, from Latin alabaster (“box for pFrom Middle English alabastre, from Old French alabastre, from Latin alabaster (“box for perfumes or unguents”), from Ancient Greek ἀλάβαστρος (alábastros), from earlier ἀλάβαστος (alábastos, “vase without handles for storing perfumes”). This may further derive from Egyptian ꜥj-r-bꜣstjt (“vessel of the Egyptian goddess Bast”). The Latin suffix -aster is unrelated, but may have influenced the spelling of the borrowing from Ancient Greek (whence a direct loan could have been rendered as *alabastrus).
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Forms
plural: alabastersSynonyms
3 synonyms- a hard compact kind of calcite:oriental alabasteronyx marbleMexican onyx
Word family
1 related wordsLessons for this word
1 lessons- A1Countable and uncountable nouns — Because it can be uncountable