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Glite Dictionary
onyx marble

onyx marble

1 8.4
A hard stone used for decoration with smooth bands and a little see-through, shiny look
  • noun
  • /ˈɑnɪks ˈmɑrbəl/
  • Specialized
: mármol ónice
  • Interior designers often choose onyx marble for its unique, translucent appearance.

Examples

  • The bathroom countertop was crafted from beautiful onyx marble.

  • The sculptor preferred onyx marble for delicate decorative pieces.

  • The table was made of beautiful onyx marble.

  • She loves the elegant look of onyx marble in her home.

  • Interior designers often choose onyx marble for its unique, translucent appearance.

  • The bathroom countertop was crafted from beautiful onyx marble.

  • The sculptor preferred onyx marble for delicate decorative pieces.

Synonyms

marble
vsonyx marble
114 3.5

A hard stone with coloured lines often polished for floors and statues

is a compact calcite used decoratively and often resembles banded stone
stone
vsonyx marble
87 4.5

A hard, shiny gem cut and polished for jewelry

is a decorative building or carving material rather than a gem
calcite
vsonyx marble
  • Specialized
2 6.2

A common white mineral made of calcium carbonate found in limestone and marble

is a worked decorative form of this mineral, more compact and polished
oriental alabaster
vsonyx marble
  • Specialized
1 9.9

A hard stone used for carving and decoration that looks slightly see-through

is similar in material but usually looks banded rather than translucent
Mexican onyx
vsonyx marble
9.0

A hard striped stone from Mexico used to make decorative objects

is similar in appearance but not tied to that banding or region

Surface Forms

onyx marble singular
onyx marbles plural

Morphology

onyx + marble

The compound 'onyx marble' denotes a type of marble associated with or resembling onyx, so its meaning is a straightforward combination of 'onyx' (a decorative mineral) and 'marble' (a polished stone). This noun–noun material construction follows common compositional patterns across languages, so a B1 learner who knows both constituents can infer the MWE's meaning despite any specialist terminology.

Etymology

Onyx marble gets its name from how the stone looks: its bands and shine make people think of onyx, while it is used like marble for decoration. So the name means 'a decorative stone' that 'looks like onyx'.