alabaster

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noun al·a·bas·ter \ˈa-lə-ˌbas-tər\

Definition of alabaster

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

alabastrine

play \ˌa-lə-ˈbas-trən\ adjective

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Recent Examples of alabaster from the Web

Proving to be an expert counterpart to the decidedly wearable collection—particularly amidst the looks accessorized with optic white tights and ankle boots—were the sweeps of alabaster pigment across the eyes.

— lauren valenti, Vogue, "Valentino and the New Eyeliner Look You’ll Want to Re-Create Through Fall", 5 July 2017
Ripped apart like thick alabaster pages and bleeding like ink from a quill.

— halsey, Billboard, "Halsey: Love Letter to the LGBTQ Community", 20 June 2017
There’s a row of Victorian terraced houses on a side street in London’s Belgravia district, each projecting a dowdy respectability with its stone front steps leading to a pair of alabaster pillars and then a glossy black door.

— howard blum, The Hive, "How Ex-Spy Christopher Steele Compiled His Explosive Trump-Russia Dossier", 19 June 2017
Alabaster police on Monday announced charges against Kevin Bray, 39, and Darryius Eugene Tompkins, 37, both of Birmingham.

— carol robinson, AL.com, "2 Birmingham men charged in armed holdup of Alabaster gas station", 12 June 2017
The eclectic building combines Gothic arches, Indian alabaster panels, Moorish stucco work, and East Asian porcelain.

— sarah theeboom, Condé Nast Traveler, "Sintra, Portugal: The Perfect Day Trip from Lisbon", 6 May 2017
Mr. Castile, a school cafeteria manager, has the noble head of a Greek bronze, complete with a jawline beard and an eye whose flat whites the Greeks would have made from silver or alabaster inlay.

— roberta smith, New York Times, "Why the Whitney’s Humanist, Pro-Diversity Biennial Is a Revelation", 16 Mar. 2017

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'alabaster'. Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.