obsidian
Americannoun
noun
Etymology
Origin of obsidian
First recorded in 1350–1400; from Latin Obsidiānus, printer's error for Obsiānus “pertaining to Obsius,” the discoverer (according to Pliny) of a similar mineral in Ethiopia; replacing Middle English obsianus, from Latin
Explanation
Obsidian is a type of black or dark glass formed from cooling lava. So if you find a shiny, hard, dark piece of glass next time you’re hanging around a volcano, it’s probably a piece of obsidian. The word obsidian essentially means “stone of Obsius.” So who was Obsius? According to an ancient Roman writer, he was the guy who first found this type of stone in Ethiopia. You’ll find obsidian used as a modifier a lot. Think of an obsidian arrowhead, blade or mirror. Sometimes it is used as a fancy way of describing people’s eyes in romance novels as in, “Her eyes were dark and shining, two obsidian orbs.”
Vocabulary lists containing obsidian
The Lightning Thief
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Black and Gray
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Earth Science - Middle School
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Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
Played by Ebony Obsidian, Lena joins up after her sweetheart is killed in action.
From Los Angeles Times • Dec. 19, 2024
Fans also got a preview of Avowed - an expansive fantasy role-playing game from US developer Obsidian, which is due for release in February next year.
From BBC • Oct. 26, 2024
Obsidian is among the most prized tool stones in the world, and this particular deposit, nearly 100 feet thick, is exceptional because of its continual use by Indigenous people since the last ice age.
From New York Times • Mar. 20, 2023
It’s a tightly focused labor of love from Obsidian Entertainment director Josh Sawyer, best known for sprawling role-playing epics like “Fallout: New Vegas” and “Pillars of Eternity.”
From Washington Times • Nov. 11, 2022
This time, it’s 55.75 notes for the Obsidian Kings, and 37.62 notes for the Sharks.
From "Warcross" by Marie Lu
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
