aventurine

or a·ven·tu·rin

[ uh-ven-chuh-reen, -rin ]

noun

1. an opaque, brown glass containing fine, gold-colored particles.
2. any of several varieties of minerals, especially quartz or feldspar, spangled with bright particles of mica, hematite, or other minerals.

aventurine

/ əˈvæntjʊrɪn; əˈvɛntjʊrɪn /

noun

1. a dark-coloured glass, usually green or brown, spangled with fine particles of gold, copper, or some other metal
2. Also calledsunstone a light-coloured translucent variety of orthoclase feldspar containing reddish-gold particles of iron compounds
3. a variety of quartz containing red or greenish particles of iron oxide or mica: a gemstone

Word History and Origins

Origin of aventurine¹

1805–15; < French, equivalent to aventure chance ( adventure ) + -ine -ine ²; so called because metal particles are introduced into the molten glass pell-mell ( à l'aventure )

Word History and Origins

Origin of aventurine¹

C19: from French, from Italian avventurina, from avventura chance; so named because usually found by accident; see adventure

Example Sentences

Citrine, aventurine and moss agate are said to attract abundance.

From Los Angeles Times

Sun′spot, one of the dark irregular spots appearing on the surface of the sun; Sun′stone, aventurine feldspar.—adj.

From Project Gutenberg

Other kinds of felspar, even orthoclase, may however also show the aventurine appearance.

From Project Gutenberg

From time to time they looked back at the sky, flaming red, and in its darker outer parts a mass of glittering flying sparks "like the gold dashes on aventurine lacquer ware."

From Project Gutenberg

There were clumps of violet jasper, porphyry, lapis-lazuli, aventurine and syenite scattered around as though the place had been divested of its furnishings in a hurry.

From Project Gutenberg