What’s the meaning of the word alabaster?

1 : a compact fine-textured usually white and translucent gypsum often carved into vases and ornaments. 2 : a hard calcite or aragonite that is translucent and sometimes banded.

What does alabaster mean synonym?

In this page you can discover 58 synonyms, antonyms, idiomatic expressions, and related words for alabaster, like: porcelain, translucent, pale, ivory, milky, pearl, fair, aplite, azurite, bauxite and brimstone.

Where did the word alabaster originate?

The origin of “alabaster” is in Middle English through Old French “alabastre”, in turn derived from Latin “alabaster”, and that from Greek “ἀλάβαστρος” (“alabastros”) or “ἀλάβαστος” (“alabastos”). The Greek words denoted a vase of alabaster.

Can alabaster be used as an adjective?

a variety of calcite, often banded, used or sold as alabaster. adjective Also al·a·bas·trine [al-uh-bas-trin]. made of alabaster: an alabaster column. resembling alabaster; smooth and white: her alabaster throat.

What is the difference between marble and alabaster?

Marble consists mostly of calcite, or calcium carbonate, different from the gypsum of alabaster. Marble forms when limestone underground is changed through extreme pressure or heat, transforming it into a crystalline structure. Veins in marble come from impurities such as clay embedded within the limestone.

How strong is alabaster?

Gypsum alabaster can be scratched with a fingernail (Mohs hardness of 1.5 to 2), while calcite alabaster is soft but requires more effort to scratch or carve (Mohshardness of 3).

How much is an alabaster lamp worth?

Present asking prices for large figural and table alabaster lamps are as high as $1,200, while a pair of mint, working boudoir lights with silk shades bring $40 to $70, based on size and decoration.

What does Nard mean in slang?

Testicles
nard (plural nards) (US, 1980s, slang, usually in the plural) Testicles. quotations ▼ The soccer ball hit me right in the nards!

What is alabaster good?

Alabaster symbolizes purity and transparency, and it is used to encourage feelings of peace and calmness. This vessel is wonderful to use in your Smoke Cleansing practice to hold the Cleansing Stick or Loose herbs because of its purifying and cleansing properties.

How do you clean alabaster?

Use a soft cloth moistened with mineral spirits or acetone to clean larger areas. Always work the cloth in the direction of the stone’s grain. A more aggressive cleaning method is to wet the alabaster with acetone, and then rub the wet area with a vinyl eraser.

What is alabaster material?

alabaster, fine-grained, massive gypsum that has been used for centuries for statuary, carvings, and other ornaments. It normally is snow-white and translucent but can be artificially dyed; it may be made opaque and similar in appearance to marble by heat treatment.

How can you tell if alabaster is real?

Genuine alabaster is a minimum of 3/8-inch thick and weighs at least twice as much as imitations. Veins are both translucent and dark and are completely random. If you see two pieces that have the same veining pattern in the same location, they are not genuine.

What is alabaster egg?

Italian Alabaster Eggs hand crafted from alabaster from the Hills of Volterra, Italy then dyed in vibrant colors. Bring the vibrant colors of Italy into your home with these beautiful, handcrafted Italian alabaster eggs. Gather eggs into a vibrant centerpiece or feature alone in an egg-stand.

Is alabaster valuable?

For example, if you are comparing natural Alabaster to a similar look in resin, then yes alabaster is definitely more expensive than resin. It will be much more expensive for the same look as resin-looking alabasters in the same shape and size.

Is alabaster the same as soapstone?

Soapstone is the softest. Alabaster is the second hardest and is considered a medium hard stone as are sandstone and limestone which are abrasive stones. (Marble and granite are the third and fourth hardest stones for carving.)

Can you put alabaster outside?

Use Alabaster on your exterior

Even though Alabaster does have a slight warmth, it’s not as apparent on the exterior of a home because of how light it is. An exterior in Sherwin Williams Alabaster will look light, bright and beautiful!

What is difference between onyx and alabaster?

The fundamental difference between the onyx and alabaster is their chemical formula and color. Alabaster is white and onyx is generally black with bands, though it have been discovered in other colors.

Is alabaster the same as limestone?

Term used to describe two types of stone, one of gypsum and one of limestone. True alabaster is hydrated calcium sulphate, a finely fibrous form of gypsum.

Is alabaster a glass?

Alabaster is a term usually applied to semi-opaque glasses which transmit the light from a source, diffusing it, but not ma- terially altering its color. The name was probably,applied be- cause of the close resemblance which these glasses bear to natural alabaster.

Does alabaster have asbestos?

Do not use stones which may contain asbestos unless you are certain that your particular pieces are asbestos free. New York soapstones may contain asbestos, whereas Vermont soapstones are usually asbestos free. Alabaster is a substitute.

Does alabaster burn?

Like building gypsum, it is obtained from a natural mineral – gypsum stone, both of them are calcium sulfate, only the first is two-water (CaSO4 • 2H2O), and the alabaster is semi-water (CaSO4 • 0 , 5H2O) . The mineral is ground and then burned at a temperature of about 180 ° C.

How can you tell alabaster from marble?

Alabaster is softer and lighter than marble. Whereas, Marble is a metamorphic rock, which was formed out of another sort of rock due to the extreme heat and pressure in the Earth’s crust. Marble is twice harder than Alabaster. On the other hand, Alabaster is a translucent material.