agalmatolite

noun

ag·​al·​mat·​o·​lite

ˌa-gəl-ˈma-tə-ˌlīt,

ə-ˌgal-,

ˌa-ˌgal-

plural -s

: a soft compact stone of a grayish, greenish, or yellowish color, sometimes stained, carved into images or miniature pagodas by the Chinese

called also figure stone, pagodite

Word History

Etymology

New Latin agalmatolithus, from Greek agalmat-, agalma + New Latin -lithus -lite

First Known Use

1801, in the meaning defined above

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