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chatoyant

 
Dictionary: cha·toy·ant   (shə-toi'ənt) pronunciation
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.]

chatoyancy cha·toy'an·cy n.

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Wordsmith Words: chatoyant
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(shuh-TOI-uhnt)

adjective
Having a changeable luster like that of a cat's eye at night.

noun
A chatoyant gemstone, such as a cat's eye.

Etymology
From French, present participle of chatoyer (to shine like a cat's eye), from chat (cat)

Usage
"Her deep green chatoyant eyes were stunning." — Leo L. Sullivan; Life; Triple Crown Publications; 2006.


Obscure Words: chatoyant
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[F.] changing in luster or color (like a cat's eyes)
Geological Glossary: Chatoyancy
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Having the property of changing luster or color by reflecting a narrow band or streak of light, like a cat's eye.


Wikipedia: Chatoyancy
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Tiger eye

In gemology, chatoyancy (pronounced /ʃəˈtɔɪənsiː/, shə-TOY-ən-see), or chatoyance, is an optical reflectance effect seen in certain gemstones. Coined from the French "œil de chat," meaning "cat's eye," chatoyancy arises either from the fibrous structure of a material, as in tiger eye quartz, or from fibrous inclusions or cavities within the stone, as in cat's eye chrysoberyl. The effect can be likened to the sheen off a spool of silk: The luminous streak of reflected light is always perpendicular to the direction of the fibres. For a gemstone to show this effect best it must be cut en cabochon, with the fibers or fibrous structures parallel to the base of the finished stone. Faceted stones are less likely to show the effect well.

Gem species known for this phenomenon include the aforementioned quartz, chrysoberyl, beryl (especially var. aquamarine), tourmaline, apatite, moonstone and scapolite. Glass optical cable can also display chatoyancy if properly cut, and has become a popular decorative material in a variety of vivid colors.

The term Cat's Eye, when used by itself as the name of a gemstone, can only be used to refer to a Cat's Eye Chrysoberyl. Any other stone exhibiting this phenomena must have the stones name after the Cat's Eye identifier, i.e. Cat's Eye Aquamarine.

Chatoyancy can also be used to refer to a similar effect in woodworking, where certain finishes will cause the wood grain to achieve a striking three-dimensional appearance.[1]

See also

References

  • Webster, R., Jobbins, E. A. (Ed.). (1998). Gemmologist's compendium. St Edmundsbury Press Ltd, Bury St Edwards.
  • Mitchell, T. et.al. Proceedings of the Electron Microscopy Society of America (EMSA), 1984.

External links


 
 
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Dictionary. The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition Copyright © 2007, 2000 by Houghton Mifflin Company. Updated in 2009. Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.  Read more
Wordsmith Words. © 2009 Wordsmith.org. All rights reserved.  Read more
Obscure Words. © 2008 by Michael A. Fischer http://home.comcast.net/~wwftd Read more
Geological Glossary. Peterson Field Guide to Rocks and Minerals, by Frederick H. Pough. Copyright © 1998 by Houghton Mifflin Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.  Read more
Wikipedia. This article is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License. It uses material from the Wikipedia article "Chatoyancy" Read more