Definify.com
Webster 1913 Edition
Alabaster
Al′a-bas′ter
,Noun.
[L.
alabaster
, Gr. ἀλάβαστρος
, said to be derived fr. Alabastron
, the name of a town in Egypt, near which it was common: cf. OF. alabastre
, F. albâtre
.] 1.
(Min.)
(a)
A compact variety or sulphate of lime, or gypsum, of fine texture, and usually white and translucent, but sometimes yellow, red, or gray. It is carved into vases, mantel ornaments, etc.
(b)
A hard, compact variety of carbonate of lime, somewhat translucent, or of banded shades of color; stalagmite. The name is used in this sense by Pliny. It is sometimes distinguished as oriental alabaster.
2.
A box or vessel for holding odoriferous ointments, etc.; – so called from the stone of which it was originally made.
Fosbroke.
Webster 1828 Edition
Alabaster
AL'ABASTER
,Noun.
A sub-variety of carbonate of lime, found in large masses, formed by the deposition of calcarious particles in caverns of limestone rocks. These concretions have a foliated, fibrous or granular structure, and are of a pure white color, or more generally they present shades of yellow, red or brown, in undulating or concentric stripes, or in spots.
Among the ancients, alabaster was also the name of a vessel in which odoriferous liquors were kept; so called from the stone of which it was made. Also, the name of a measure, containing ten ounces of wine or nine of oil.
AL'ABASTER
,Adj.
Alabastrum dendroide, a kind of laminated alabaster, variegated with figures of shrubs and trees, found in the province of Hohenstein.