chatoyant - 4 dictionary results
cha⋅toy⋅ant
[shuh-toi-uh
nt] 
–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
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
Related forms:
cha⋅toy⋅ance, cha⋅toy⋅an⋅cy, noun
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2009.
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Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2009.
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|
Link To chatoyant
| 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. |
The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition
Copyright © 2009 by Houghton Mifflin Company.
Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.
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Copyright © 2009 by Houghton Mifflin Company.
Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.
Cite This Source
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.
Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary, © 1996, 1998 MICRA, Inc.
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