alabaster

Where does the word "alabaster" come from? It comes from Greek alabastros, and was adopted directly into English (1300s).

Alabaster’s story begins in Greek: alabastros meant “a soft, pale mineral stone.” Possibly named for an Egyptian town famous for producing the soft white stone. It reached English by 1300s as alabaster. First recorded around 1384 in the Wycliffite Bible, for the alabaster jar of ointment poured over Jesus. Today, alabaster means a soft, translucent mineral, typically white, used for carving and ornaments.

1. Stage 1 · Greek · ancient alabastros "a soft, pale mineral stone", possibly named for an Egyptian town famous for producing the soft white stone.
2. Stage 2 · English · 1300s alabaster "a soft, pale, translucent mineral used for carving", first recorded around 1384 in the Wycliffite Bible, for the alabaster jar of ointment poured over Jesus.