girasol
NounWordNet 3.0
Noun (2)
- an opal with flaming orange and yellow and red colorsSynonyms: fire opal
- tall perennial with hairy stems and leaves; widely cultivated for its large irregular edible tubersSynonyms: Jerusalem artichokeJerusalem artichoke sunflowerHelianthus tuberosus
Webster's Dictionary (GCIDE)
Girasole \Gir"a*sole\ Girasol \Gir"a*sol\, n. [It. girasole, or F. girasol, fr. L. gyrare to turn around + sol sun.] [1913 Webster]
1.(Bot.) See Heliotrope. [Obs.] [1913 Webster]
2.(Min.) A variety of opal which is usually milk white, bluish white, or sky blue; but in a bright light it reflects a reddish color. [1913 Webster]
Opal \O"pal\, n. [L. opalus: cf. Gr. ?, Skr. upala a rock, stone, precious stone: cf. F. opale.] (Min.) A mineral consisting, like quartz, of silica, but inferior to quartz in hardness and specific gravity. [1913 Webster]
Note: The precious opal presents a peculiar play of colors of delicate tints, and is highly esteemed as a gem. One kind, with a varied play of color in a reddish ground, is called the harlequin opal. The fire opal has colors like the red and yellow of flame. Common opal has a milky appearance. Menilite is a brown impure variety, occurring in concretions at Menilmontant, near Paris. Other varieties are cacholong, girasol, hyalite, and geyserite. [1913 Webster]