sunstone

[ suhn-stohn ]

noun

1. a reddish variety of oligoclase feldspar, used as a gem, having a red and bright-yellow play of color.

sunstone

/ ˈsʌnˌstəʊn /

noun

1. another name for aventurine

Word History and Origins

Origin of sunstone¹

Middle English word dating back to 1350–1400; sun, stone

Word History and Origins

Origin of sunstone¹

C17: so called because it contains red and gold flecks which reflect the light

Example Sentences

But what the country lacks in gemological richness, it makes up in a startling variety of gems mined coast to coast, from Oregon sunstone to Maine tourmaline.

From New York Times

Amit Lerner, an animal vision researcher based in Israel, wonders if navigation by sunstone would have been too cumbersome for the Vikings to pull off.

From New York Times

Archaeological evidence that Vikings actually used sunstones is scant.

From Washington Post

A millennium ago, Viking navigators may have used crystals known as “sunstones” to navigate between Norway and Greenland.

From Science Magazine

For decades, researchers have suggested that enigmatic “sunstones” mentioned in Viking tales such as “The Saga of King Olaf” were the key to navigating under less-than-sunny skies.

From Science Magazine