alabaster

American  

[al-uh-bas-ter, -bah-ster] / ˈæl əˌbæs tər, -ˌbɑ stər /

noun

1. a finely granular variety of gypsum, often white and translucent, used for ornamental objects or work, such as lamp bases, figurines, etc.

2. Also called Oriental alabaster.  a variety of calcite, often banded, used or sold as alabaster.

---

adjective

1. made of alabaster.

   an alabaster column.

2. resembling alabaster; smooth and white.

   her alabaster throat.

alabaster British  

/ -ˌbæstə, ˈæləˌbɑːstə /

noun

1. a fine-grained usually white, opaque, or translucent variety of gypsum used for statues, vases, etc

2. a variety of hard semitranslucent calcite, often banded like marble

---

adjective

1. of or resembling alabaster

Other Word Forms

• alabastrine adjective

Etymology

Origin of alabaster

1350–1400; < Latin < Greek alábastros; replacing Middle English alabastre < Middle French < Latin

Example Sentences

The find included an enormous collection of artifacts, among them many exquisitely preserved Egyptian alabaster vessels that likely represented the finest available during Tutankhamen's reign, which last from 1,333 to 1,323 BCE.

From Science Daily • Dec. 18, 2025

Among the nearly 100 works on view are sculptures in iron, wood, alabaster and clay as well as drawings, collages and experimental works using paper.

From The Wall Street Journal • Dec. 13, 2025

The exterior is covered in hieroglyphs and translucent alabaster cut into triangles with a pyramid shaped entrance.

From BBC • Oct. 31, 2025

The king stares intently into an eternal distance through composite orbs fashioned from alabaster and glass, rendered in varying degrees of clarity, transparency and opacity.

From Los Angeles Times • Feb. 11, 2025

Then 1 can take a chisel and small tap hammer and tap away at the alabaster.

From "Sula" by Toni Morrison

Related Words

• porcelain