obsidian
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The early dentists used a drill-like device with a hard stone such as obsidian, which is capable of puncturing bone.
View all »Definitions (4)
American Heritage Dictionary (1)
- noun A usually black or banded, hard volcanic glass that displays shiny, curved surfaces when fractured and is formed by rapid cooling of lava.
Century Dictionary (1)
GNU Webster's 1913 (1)
WordNet (1)
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Flowering obsidian is a variety with white circles.
— The Lore of Gloranthan Gems and Near-Gems by Martin R. Crim Part II - Next to it was a cameo of native obsidian, and several of Carlos's scandalous thornwood carvings. — The Legacy of Heorot
- Around the staff drops of ichor hardened like beads of obsidian, and the hardening widened, spreading steadily, through the malevolent shape. — Conan The Triumphant
- Not by any demi-godly screams -- the air was still and quiet but for the wind -- yet the ground under their feet was crunchy with pumice and obsidian, and the rocks were warm, as though heated from within. — Villains by Necessity
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The early dentists used a drill-like device with a hard stone such as obsidian, which is capable of puncturing bone.
— National Geographic News
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View all »Etymologies (3)
American Heritage Dictionary (1)
- Latin obsidiānus, misreading of obsiānus (lapis), Obsian (stone), obsidian, after Obsius, a Roman who supposedly discovered it or a similar mineral.
Century Dictionary (1)
GNU Webster's 1913 (1)
WordNet
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Pronunciations
/ (ŏb-sĭdˈē-ən)/
ahd pronounces "obsidian"
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American Heritage Dictionary