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