alabaster

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

alabaster — 名詞

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

1.名詞B2
釋義

雪花石膏

半透明白色雕刻用礦石

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.

博物館展示了一座古埃及舞者的小型雪花石膏雕像。

attributive: alabaster statue

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

Minho 小心地將那塊雪花石膏雕刻成一隻睡貓的形狀。

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

方解石質

較硬的半透明礦物

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.

地質學家將這種帶狀雪花石膏歸類為方解石，而非石膏。

geology context: banded alabaster as calcite variety

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

收藏品中有一塊來自墨西哥洞穴的拋光方解石質雪花石膏。

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

阿拉巴斯特

美國阿拉巴馬州城市

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.

Hassan 一家搬到阿拉巴馬州的阿拉巴斯特，因為那裡學校好、社區安靜。

proper noun: city name with state

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

Diego 從伯明罕開車南下，去拜訪住在阿拉巴斯特的表弟。

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.