black opal
1
7.2
- noun
- /blæk ˈoʊpəl/
:
opalita negra
- In the dim light of the cave, the black opals glimmered with hues of green and red, captivating everyone who saw them.
I'm also wearing the black Opal currently.
- I'm also wearing the black Opal currently.
Examples
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I'm required to inform you all that this fine Ethiopian black opal presented here before you all on your left, my right, is now offered with a revised estimate of $155 to $225,000 US.
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Mages will do anything to get opals, particularly black opals.
Fiction book (1994) -
- It's a black opal?
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Where do these fucking guys get precious black opals?
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I'm also wearing the black Opal currently.
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"Black opals," the immortal announced with pleasure.
Fiction book (1994) -
It's like a black opal!" Archer had seen one pearl that put Teddy's in the shade, but all he said was, "Yes, the orient is lovely."
Fiction book (2000) -
The jeweler displayed a stunning necklace featuring several black opals that sparkled with iridescent colors.
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She treasured the black opals in her collection, especially for their dark body color and vibrant flashes of light.
How Dark
Surface Forms
Morphology
The meaning is directly compositional: 'black' specifies the dark body color and 'opal' names the gemstone, so a B1 learner who knows both words can infer this is an opal with a black/dark background. This is a straightforward adjective+noun description following common cross-linguistic patterns rather than an idiomatic or metaphorical sense.
Etymology
Black opal is named for the stone's dark background. The word black describes its dark body and opal is the gem, and the dark surface makes the bright 'flashes of color' stand out. That's why the name means an opal with very vivid color.