opal

Word family

o·pal /ˈəʊpəl $ ˈoʊ-/ noun [countableC, uncountableU]

DCJHEa type of white stone with changing colours in it, often used in jewellery 蛋白石〔常用于珠宝首饰〕

Examples from the Corpus

opal• The only windows in the building were narrow and high, and they washed the enclosed space in an opal gloom.• Upper House came out of its concrete grudgingly, like an opal from the matrix.• It was raven black and the hair was entwined with a slim rope of gold thread and opals.• The 2000 collection of spring colours are a combination of warm topaz and cool opal.• Faint dark mist was the background, with the symbols only crude and faded opal scars.• This is most apparent in the precious opal which is capable of displaying a veritable kaleidoscope of colours.• Coober Pedy has produced 80 percent of the world's opals since 1915.• As these boxes had a small square opening at the back, glazed with opal glass, the Oyster lamps were removed.

Origin opal

(1500-1600) Latin opalus, from Sanskrit upala “stone, jewel”

Chinese

Syllable

Corpus

BNC: 24127 COCA: 22483

opal

Stones used in jewellery: agate, amethyst, aquamarine...