opalescent (adj.)

"having variegated and changing colors like those of an opal," 1810, from opal + -escent. Perhaps via French opalescent.

also from 1810

Entries linking to opalescent

opal (n.)

"mineral like quartz but without crystalline structure," 1590s, from French opalle (16c.) and directly from Late Latin opalus (Pliny), supposedly from Greek opallios, which is possibly ultimately from Sanskrit upala-s "gem, precious stone." Used in Middle English in Latin form (late 14c.). Related: Opaline.

opalescence (n.)

"iridescence like that of an opal, a play of colors milky rather than brilliant," 1792; see opalescent + -ence. Perhaps via French opalescence.

-escent

word-forming element meaning "beginning, becoming, tending to be," from Latin -escentem (nominative -escens), ending of present participles of verbs in -escere.

Trends of opalescent

adapted from books.google.com/ngrams/. Ngrams are probably unreliable.

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indiscreet

"imprudent, not discrete, lacking good judgment," early 15c., from Medieval Latin indiscretus, from in- "not, opposite of" (see in- (1)) + Latin discretus "separated, distinct" (in Medieval Latin "discerning, careful"), past participle of discernere "distinguish" (see discern). A

indiscrete

"not containing distinct parts," 1782 (earlier "not distinctly separate," c. 1600), from Latin indiscretus "unseparated; indistinguishable, not known apart," from in- "not, opposite of" (see in- (1)) + discretus "separated, distinct" (in Medieval Latin "discerning, careful"), pas

literature

early 15c., "book-learning," from Latin literatura/litteratura "learning, a writing, grammar," originally "writing formed with letters," from litera/littera "alphabetic letter" also "an epistle, writing, document; literature, great books; science, learning" (see letter (n.1)). In

reprimand

"severe reproof (especially one given by a magistrate or authority) for a fault," 1630s, from French réprimande (16c.), earlier reprimende "reproof," from Latin reprimenda "that is to be repressed" (as in reprimenda culpa "fault to be checked," reprimenda res "thing that ought to

chivalry

c. 1300, "body or host of knights; knighthood in the feudal social system; bravery in war, warfare as an art," from Old French chevalerie "knighthood, chivalry, nobility, cavalry, art of war," from chevaler "knight," from Medieval Latin caballarius "horseman," from Latin caballus

attend

c. 1300, "be subject to" (obsolete); early 14c., "direct one's mind or energies" (archaic), from Old French atendre "to expect, wait for, pay attention" (12c., Modern French attendre) and directly from Latin attendere "give heed to," literally "to stretch toward," from ad "to, to

log

unshaped large piece of tree, early 14c., of unknown origin. Old Norse had lag "felled tree" (from stem of liggja "to lie," hence "a tree that lies prostrate"), but many etymologists deny on phonological grounds that this can be the root of English log. Instead, they suggest an i

odd

c. 1300, odde, "constituting a unit in excess of an even number," from Old Norse oddi "third or additional number," as in odda-maðr "third man, odd man (who gives the casting vote)," odda-tala "odd number." The literal meaning of Old Norse oddi is "point of land, angle" (related

Florida

U.S. state, formerly a Spanish colony, probably from Spanish Pascua florida, literally "flowering Easter," a Spanish name for Palm Sunday, and so named because the peninsula was discovered on that day (March 20, 1513) by the expedition of Spanish explorer Ponce de León. From Lati

psyche

1640s, "animating spirit, the human spirit or mind," from Latin psyche, from Greek psykhē "the soul, mind, spirit; life, one's life, the invisible animating principle or entity which occupies and directs the physical body; understanding, the mind (as the seat of thought), faculty

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updated on September 05, 2019

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Dictionary entries near opalescent

op. cit.

opacity

opafication

opal

opalescence

opalescent

opaque

ope

OPEC

op-ed

open