al|a|bas|ter

al|a|bas|ter «AL uh _BAS tuhr, -_BAHS-», noun, adjective.

–n.

1. a smooth, white or delicately shaded, translucent stone, a variety of gypsum. Alabaster is considered a soft stone, often carved into ornaments and vases.

2. a variety of calcite that is somewhat translucent and often streaked like marble.

–adj.

1. made of alabaster: »

an alabaster vase.

2. Figurative. smooth and white like alabaster: »

her alabaster throat.

╂[< Latin alabaster < Greek alábastros (alabaster) vase]