alabaster

/ˈæləbɑːstə(r)/ (bre, ipa) · [ˈæləbˌæstɚ] /ˈæləbæstər/ (ame, ipa) · [ˈæləbˌæstɚ] /ˈa-lə-ˌba-stər/ (ame, mw)

alabaster — noun

1. a smooth, white or very pale stone that allows some light to pass through it, us

1.名詞B2
釋義

a smooth, white or very pale stone that allows some light to pass through it, used especially for carving statues, vases, and other decorative objects

例句

The museum displayed a small alabaster statue of a dancer from ancient Egypt.

attributive: alabaster statue

Minho carefully carved the block of alabaster into the shape of a sleeping cat.

material noun: block of alabaster

同義詞
  • gypsum

    alabaster is a fine-grained form of gypsum; 'gypsum' is a broader term that includes powder and plaster forms

  • marble

    marble is also used for carving but is harder, not translucent, and comes from limestone rather than gypsum

文法句型

alabaster + noun (attributive use)

用法筆記

Alabaster is an uncountable material noun. You cannot say 'an alabaster' to mean a single piece of the stone, but you can use it attributively before another noun, as in 'an alabaster statue' or 'alabaster columns'.

常見錯誤

❌He bought an alabaster from the market.
✅He bought an alabaster bowl from the market.
💡Alabaster is uncountable; use it as a modifier before a countable noun.
❌The statue is made from alabaster stone.
✅The statue is made of alabaster.
💡'Alabaster' already names the stone; adding 'stone' is redundant.

2. a hard, semi-transparent type of calcite or aragonite, sometimes showing natural

2.名詞C1
釋義

a hard, semi-transparent type of calcite or aragonite, sometimes showing natural colored bands, used as a decorative stone

例句

Geologists classify this banded alabaster as a variety of calcite rather than gypsum.

geology context: banded alabaster as calcite variety

The collection held a polished piece of calcite alabaster from a cave in Mexico.

同義詞
  • calcite

    the broader mineral group; alabaster in this sense is a specific translucent variety of calcite

  • aragonite

    another mineral form that produces hard alabaster, though less common than calcite

用法筆記

This sense is used mainly in mineralogy and geology. When referring to a specific variety, it can be used as a countable noun: 'several different alabasters were found in the region.'

常見錯誤

❌This hard alabaster is a type of gypsum.
✅This hard alabaster is a type of calcite.
💡Sense 2 refers to calcite or aragonite, not gypsum (which is sense 1).

3. a city in central Alabama, United States, located just south of Birmingham

3.名詞
釋義

a city in central Alabama, United States, located just south of Birmingham

例句

The Hassan family moved to Alabaster, Alabama, because of the good schools and quiet neighbourhoods.

proper noun: city name with state

Diego drove south from Birmingham to visit his cousin who lives in Alabaster.

用法筆記

This is a place name. Do not confuse it with the mineral 'alabaster' — the city name is unrelated in meaning and is always capitalised.