an opaque impure microcrystalline form of quartz, red, yellow, brown, or dark green in colour, used as a gemstone and for ornamental decoration
2. Also called: jasperware
a dense hard stoneware, invented in 1775 by Wedgwood, capable of being stained throughout its substance with metallic oxides and used as background for applied classical decoration
Word origin
C14: from Old French jaspe, from Latin jaspis, from Greek iaspis, of Semitic origin; related to Assyrian ashpū, Arabic yashb, Hebrew yāshpheh