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Webster 1913 Edition

Opal

O′pal

,
Noun.
[L.
opalus
: cf. Gr. [GREEK], Skr.
upala
a rock, stone, precious stone: cf. F.
opale
.]
(Min.)
A mineral consisting, like quartz, of silica, but inferior to quartz in hardness and specific gravity.
☞ The
precious opal
presents a peculiar play of colors of delicate tints, and is highly esteemed as a gem. One kind, with a varied play of color in a reddish ground, is called the
harlequin opal
. The
fire opal
has colors like the red and yellow of flame.
Common opal
has a milky appearance.
Menilite
is a brown impure variety, occurring in concretions at Menilmontant, near Paris. Other varieties are
cacholong
,
girasol
,
hyalite
, and
geyserite
.

Webster 1828 Edition

Opal

O'PAL

,
Noun.
[L. opalus or opalum.] A stone of the silicious genus, and of several varieties. It is one of the most beautiful of this genus, by reason of its changeableness of color by reflection and refraction. Kirwan distributes opals into four families, opal, semi-opal, pitch stone [pechstein,] and ligniform. Jameson divides opal into seven kinds.
Opal is a subspecies of indivisible quartz.

Definition 2024

òpal

òpal

See also: opal, Opal, opál, ópal, and opał

Catalan

Noun

òpal m ‎(plural òpals)

  1. opal

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