Main Entry: al·a·bas·ter

Pronunciation: \ˈa-lə-ˌbas-tər\

Function: noun

Etymology: Middle English alabastre, from Anglo-French albastre, from Latin alabaster vase of alabaster, from Greek alabastros

Date: 14th century

1 : a compact fine-textured usually white and translucent gypsum often carved into vases and ornaments
2 : a hard calcite or aragonite that is translucent and sometimes banded

— alabaster or al·a·bas·trine \ˌa-lə-ˈbas-trən\ adjective