cipolin

noun cipo·lin \ ˈsipələ̇n , ¦sēpə¦laⁿ \

variants: or cipollino \ˌchēpəˈlē(ˌ)nō\

Definition of cipolin

plural -s

: a light-colored Roman marble containing layers of micaceous minerals and abundant silicates

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Origin and Etymology of cipolin

borrowed from French & Italian; French cipolin, cipollin, borrowed from Italian (marmo) cipollino, from cipollino, masculine variant of cipollina, diminutive of cipolla “onion”; so called because the marble's wavy veins suggest the layers of an onion