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Glite Dictionary
onyx marble

onyx marble

8.4
A hard stone used for decoration with smooth bands and a little see-through, shiny look
  • noun
  • /ˈɑnɪks ˈmɑrbəl/
  • Specialized
translation icon : 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

stone
vsonyx marble
75 4.5

A hard, shiny gem cut and polished for jewelry

is a decorative building or carving material rather than a gem
marble
vsonyx marble
68 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
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
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
oriental alabaster
vsonyx marble
  • Specialized
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

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'.