Chloropal

/ˈklɔːroʊpæl/ noun

Definition

A green variety of opal gemstone that contains chlorine or chlorine-bearing minerals, prized for its distinctive color.

Etymology

From chloro- (Greek chloros, 'green') plus opal (from Sanskrit upala, meaning 'stone'). Emerged in 19th-century mineralogy as gem collectors needed precise names for color variants.

Kelly Says

Chloropal represents how gemstone names evolved—mineralogists essentially created a 'chemical fingerprint' system where the first part of the name tells you what makes the stone colored, which is why you also see fire opal, honey opal, and blue opal.

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