ETYM Latin alabaster, Greek, said to be derived from Alabastron, the name of a town in Egypt, near which it was common: cf. Old Fren. alabastre, French albâtre.
1. A compact fine-textured usually white gypsum used for carving.
2. A hard compact kind of calcite; SYN. oriental alabaster, onyx marble, Mexican onyx.
3. A very light white.
Formerly, carbonate of lime; modern, kind of gypsum from which vases and boxes are made.
Naturally occurring fine-grained white or light-colored translucent form of gypsum, often streaked or mottled. A soft material, it is easily carved, but seldom used for outdoor sculpture.