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chatoyant - 4 dictionary results

cha⋅toy⋅ant

[shuh-toi-uhnt]
–adjective
1. changing in luster or color: chatoyant silk.
2. Jewelry. reflecting a single streak of light when cut in a cabochon.
–noun
3. Jewelry. a cabochon-cut gemstone having this reflected streak, as a chrysoberyl cat's-eye.

Origin:
1790–1800; < F, special use of prp. of chatoyer to change luster like a cat's eye, equiv. to chat cat1 + -oy- v. suffix + -ant -ant


cha⋅toy⋅ance, cha⋅toy⋅an⋅cy, noun
cha·toy·ant   (shə-toi'ənt)   
adj.  Having a changeable luster.
n.  A chatoyant stone or gemstone, such as the cat's-eye.

[French, present participle of chatoyer, to shimmer like cats' eyes, from chat, cat, from Vulgar Latin *cattus, perhaps of African origin.]
cha·toy'an·cy n.

Chatoyant

Cha*toy"ant\, a. [F., p. pr. of chatoyer to be chatoyant, fr. chat cat.] (Min.) Having a changeable, varying luster, or color, like that of a changeable silk, or oa a cat's eye in the dark.

Chatoyant

Cha*toy"ant\, n. (Min.) A hard stone, as the cat's-eye, which presents on a polished surface, and in the interior, an undulating or wary light.
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