aventurine

a·ven·tu·rine  (-vnch-rn, -rn) also a·ven·tu·rin (-rn)

n.

1. An opaque or semitranslucent brown glass flecked with small metallic particles, often of copper or chromic oxide.

2. Any of several varieties of quartz or feldspar flecked with particles of mica, hematite, or other materials. Also called sunstone.

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[French, from aventure, accident (so called because of its accidental discovery or the randomness of inclusions in it); see adventure.]

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a·ventu·rine adj.

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aventurine, aventurin [əˈvɛntjʊrɪn], avanturine [əˈvæntjʊrɪn]

n

1. (Chemistry / Elements & Compounds) a dark-coloured glass, usually green or brown, spangled with fine particles of gold, copper, or some other metal

2. (Earth Sciences / Minerals) Also called sunstone a light-coloured translucent variety of orthoclase feldspar containing reddish-gold particles of iron compounds

3. (Earth Sciences / Minerals) a variety of quartz containing red or greenish particles of iron oxide or mica: a gemstone

[from French, from Italian avventurina, from avventura chance; so named because usually found by accident; see adventure]

Thesaurus

Noun

1.

aventurine - a translucent quartz spangled with bits of mica or other minerals sunstone quartz - a hard glossy mineral consisting of silicon dioxide in crystal form; present in most rocks (especially sandstone and granite); yellow sand is quartz with iron oxide impurities goldstone - aventurine spangled densely with fine gold-colored particles transparent gem - a gemstone having the property of transmitting light without serious diffusion