Opaline

Part of speech: adjective

Definitions

1. A type of glass or gemstone characterized by a milky or translucent appearance, often displaying a play of colors
2. Pertaining to materials that exhibit a soft, shimmering luster reminiscent of opals, generally used in decorative items
3. Describing a color or shade that captures the qualities of opal, often with iridescent or pearly hues

Etymology: The stone "opal" traces back to Sanskrit "upala", meaning "precious stone", which passed into Medieval Greek as "opallios" and then into Latin as "opalus". French took it as "opale", and English borrowed the noun from there. The adjective "opaline" is simply the noun with the English suffix "-ine", which attaches to names of substances and means "resembling or made of" that substance, as in "alabaster" giving "alabastrine". So "opaline" describes something with the milky, shifting colours of the gemstone.

Synonyms: iridescent, opal-like, milky, pearly

Antonyms: dull, matte, opaque