Alabaster
Definition
A massive, fine-grained, and translucent variety of gypsum (hydrated calcium sulfate) or calcite (calcium carbonate), milky-white, yellowish, or with tinted veins, characterized by a low hardness that allows flawless manual processing and polishing; as an adjective, it describes a pure, immaculate white color or an extremely fine, smooth skin. This noble material holds a major structural role in the history of decorative arts, being used since Egyptian and classical antiquity for sculpting perfume vessels, luxury statuettes, and translucent decorative panels capable of filtering sunlight.
Bilingual Equivalents
- Alabaster
- Alabaster white
Grammatical & Source Details
| Inflection Type | Neuter noun with standard singular and plural structural suffixes; as a color adjective, it remains morphologically fixed. |
| Formation | Etymological loan from Latin 'alabastrum', structurally tracking back to ancient Egyptian or Greek designations for stone ointment jars. |
| Spelling / Pronunciation | [a.la.ˈbas.tru] |
| Source | Glossary of Fine Arts Terms and Mineralogical Classification Standards |
Contextual Usage Examples
RO: Meșterul a sculptat o lampă elegantă din alabastru, profitând de transparența naturală a rocii.
EN: The craftsman sculpted an elegant lamp out of alabaster, taking advantage of the stone's natural transparency.
RO: Muzeul expune un vas antic de alabastru descoperit într-un mormânt faraonic neatins de jefuitori.
EN: The museum exhibits an ancient alabaster vessel discovered in a pharaonic tomb untouched by looters.
RO: Pielea ei de alabastru strălucea discret sub razele palide ale lunii de primăvară.
EN: Her alabaster skin glowed discreetly under the pale rays of the spring moon.
Idioms & Phrases
Vas de alabastru / Alabaster jar / alabastron
RO: Recipient fin, alungit și prețios folosit în antichitate pentru conservarea uleiurilor sfinte și a esențelor aromatice.
EN: A fine, elongated, and precious vessel used in antiquity for preserving holy oils and aromatic essences.
Piele de alabastru / Alabaster skin / complexion
RO: Metaforă poetică celebră folosită pentru a descrie un ten feminin de o paloare nobilă, neted și lipsit de imperfecțiuni.
EN: A famous poetic metaphor used to describe a female complexion of a noble paleness, smooth and free of imperfections.
Alabastru de ghips / Gypsum alabaster
RO: Cea mai comună varietate minerală, un sulfat moale utilizat pe scară largă în sculptură, sensibil la apă și acizi.
EN: The most common mineral variety, a soft sulfate widely used in sculpture, sensitive to water and acids.
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