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Glite Dictionary
🪵 To turn into opal 🌈 To make iridescent
to opalize

to opalize

9.9
To give glass or stone a milky shine with rainbow colors
  • verb
  • /ˈoʊpəˌlaɪz/
  • US
translation icon : dar un aspecto opalescente
  • Artists sometimes try to opalize glass to imitate the look of real gemstones.

Examples

  • The minerals in the cave walls began to opalize, creating a shimmering effect.

  • She has opalized several pieces of jewelry.

  • Certain conditions in the earth can cause wood to opalize over millions of years.

  • The artist opalizes the glass to create a unique effect.

  • The artist was thrilled to opalize the glass, giving it a stunning, iridescent quality.

  • Over time, the fossils in the sediment started to opalize, creating beautiful, shimmering patterns.

  • She plans to opalize the clay to enhance its visual appeal with a milky, opalescent finish.

Synonyms

to opalesce
vsto opalize
9.9

To show changing shiny colors like an opal

has a milky, diffuse sheen and often involves becoming or causing that look

How Opalescent

to opalize
  • US
9.9
to sheen
1 4.0

Surface Forms

opalize infinitive
opalized past
opalized past participle
opalizing present participle
opalizes third person singular

Morphology

opalize = opal (transparent) = opal + ize

Derived by adding the productive suffix '-ize' to 'opal', meaning 'to make or become like an opal' (give an opalescent appearance).

Etymology

Opalize comes from the gem opal, meaning 'precious stone', and the ending -ize meaning 'to make'. So to opalize something is to give it the milky, rainbow look of an opal or to make it opal-like.