noun

alabaster

AL-uh-bahs-tuh

Alabaster (noun) means a soft, fine-grained white or pale-tinted stone (a form of gypsum) often carved into ornaments and small sculptures. Example: “The museum's prize piece was a delicate alabaster vase carved centuries ago.”

noun

A soft, fine-grained white or pale-tinted stone (a form of gypsum) often carved into ornaments and small sculptures.

"The museum's prize piece was a delicate alabaster vase carved centuries ago."

"She kept her jewellery in a small alabaster box."

adjective

Made of alabaster, or resembling it — smooth, pale, and faintly translucent.

"The poem described her alabaster skin glowing in the candlelight."

How to use alabaster

Learner’s notes

In plain EnglishA soft white ornamental stone, or the pale, smooth quality that stone has.

Common pairings

an alabaster statue alabaster skin carved from alabaster

Word forms

alabasters plural

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The museum's prize piece was a delicate _____ vase carved centuries ago.

Etymology

From Old French alabastre, ultimately from Ancient Greek alabastros, a word for a handleless vase used to store perfume — possibly traced back to an Egyptian phrase referring to a vessel of the goddess Bast.

Origin: Ancient Greek

Synonyms

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onyx marble alabastrine oriental alabaster

Related words

alabastrine

Rhymes for alabaster

aster faster master taster Easter caster toaster plaster blaster disaster Lancaster Doncaster

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Frequently asked questions

What does “alabaster” mean?

The word “alabaster” means a soft, fine-grained white or pale-tinted stone (a form of gypsum) often carved into ornaments and small sculptures. In plain terms, a soft white ornamental stone, or the pale, smooth quality that stone has.

How do you pronounce “alabaster”?

“Alabaster” is pronounced AL-uh-bahs-tuh (/ˈæl.əˌbæs.tɚ/ in IPA).

How do you use “alabaster” in a sentence?

Here is “alabaster” used in a sentence: “The museum's prize piece was a delicate alabaster vase carved centuries ago.”

What part of speech is “alabaster”?

Depending on how it is used, “alabaster” can be a noun and an adjective.

Where does the word “alabaster” come from?

The word “alabaster” comes from Ancient Greek. From Old French alabastre, ultimately from Ancient Greek alabastros, a word for a handleless vase used to store perfume — possibly traced back to an Egyptian phrase referring to a vessel of the goddess Bast.

How many meanings does “alabaster” have?

“Alabaster” has 2 distinct senses listed in this dictionary. The most common is: a soft, fine-grained white or pale-tinted stone (a form of gypsum) often carved into ornaments and small sculptures.

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