cymophane
/ˈsʌɪ.mə(ʊ)ˌfeɪn/
cymophane means A translucent yellowish chatoyant chrysoberyl. It carries an Arena rating of 1429, earned across 3 head-to-head judged battles.
Among words judged in Lexicurio's Arena, cymophane ranks #20 of 17,149 for Most Exacting Words, #1,273 of 17,128 for Most Ponderous Words, #1,367 of 17,132 for Most Betrayed by Its Sound, #2,232 of 17,140 for Most Whimsical Words.
cymophane is pronounced /ˈsʌɪ.mə(ʊ)ˌfeɪn/.
Why “cymophane” is a great word
A translucent, yellowish variety of chrysoberyl that displays chatoyancy, a shifting band of light moving like a slit pupil across its surface. Its name flows from the Greek *kŷma* (wave) and *-phanḗs* (showing, appearing), thus meaning 'wave-appearing,' for its undulating, opalescent gleam. Unlike 'chrysoberyl,' which broadly denotes a mineral that can be a plain golden green, or the general term 'cat's-eye,' which applies to any gem with a luminous band, cymophane is the specific, liquid capture of light within a stone. It is the cold, bottled essence of a moonlit sea, a single luminous slit opening and closing in a polished cabochon, a golden ripple frozen in mineral sleep—the earth’s quiet argument against opacity, a solid thing holding a captive wave.
Etymology
From cymo- + -phane.
noun
- A translucent yellowish chatoyant chrysoberyl.
Definitions & examples from Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 3.0).
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