: a usually amorphous mineral that is a hydrated silica softer and less dense than quartz and typically with definite and often marked iridescent play of colors and is used especially as a gem
Examples of opal in a Sentence
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The highlight of the Bouquet des Roses necklace is a 13.57-carat oval-cut pink sapphire from Madagascar, framed by white and yellow diamonds, pink sapphires, spinels and doublet fiery opals.
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Nazanin Lankarani, New York Times, 20 May 2025
Foliage figured in green and blue translucent enamel caught the light and seemed to be reflected in the flashes running in the cabochon black Australian opal of nearly 4 carats at the heart of the set’s necklace.
—Lily Templeton, Footwear News, 5 May 2025
Do not use Windex on softer gems like pearls, opals, or emeralds, because the ammonia may damage them.
—Melissa Locker, Southern Living, 23 Mar. 2025
Sweeney's metallic underwear — which retailed for $5,800 on Miu Miu's website — also comes in beige (Emma Corin modeled the colorway on the runway in spring 2023) and pink opal.
—Charlotte Phillipp, People.com, 5 May 2025
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Nazanin Lankarani, New York Times, 20 May 2025
Foliage figured in green and blue translucent enamel caught the light and seemed to be reflected in the flashes running in the cabochon black Australian opal of nearly 4 carats at the heart of the set’s necklace.
—Lily Templeton, Footwear News, 5 May 2025
Do not use Windex on softer gems like pearls, opals, or emeralds, because the ammonia may damage them.
—Melissa Locker, Southern Living, 23 Mar. 2025
Sweeney's metallic underwear — which retailed for $5,800 on Miu Miu's website — also comes in beige (Emma Corin modeled the colorway on the runway in spring 2023) and pink opal.
—Charlotte Phillipp, People.com, 5 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for opal
Cite this Entry
“Opal.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/opal. Accessed 9 Jun. 2025.
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opal
noun
: a mineral with changeable colors that is used as a gem
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