a dark volcanic glass formed by very rapid solidification of lava
Also called: Iceland agate
Word origin
C17: from Latin obsidiānus, erroneous transcription of obsiānus (lapis) (stone of) Obsius, the name (in Pliny) of the discoverer of a stone resembling obsidian
obsidian in American English
(əbˈsɪdiən)
noun
a hard, usually dark-colored or black volcanic glass with conchoidal fracture, often used as a gem
Word origin
ModL obsidianus < L Obsidianus (lapis), a faulty reading in Pliny (altered by assoc. with L obsidium, a siege < obsidere: see obsess) for Obsianus (lapis), stone of Obsius, finder of a similar stone in Ethiopia
Examples of 'obsidian' in a sentence
obsidian
It was as black and polished as an obsidian mirror, though besmeared in many places with fingerprints.
Zindell, David THE BROKEN GOD (2002)
Again the wavy lines, again the smoky mirror, again Rebecca stares into the polished obsidian, unseeing, uncomprehending.