alabaster Look up alabaster at Dictionary.com
a translucent whitish kind of gypsum used for vases, ornaments, and busts, late 14c., from O.Fr. alabastre, from L. alabaster "colored rock used to make boxes and vessels for unguents," from Gk. alabast(r)os "vase for perfumes," probably from Egypt. 'a-labaste "vessel of the goddess Bast." Used figuratively for whiteness and smoothness from 1570s.