Date
Name Alabaster
Type Surname
Usage English
Other Forms FormsAlabastir, Arblaster, Armbruster
Edit Status Status
Meaning & History
From the name of a whitish kind of gypsum used for vases, ornaments and busts, ultimately deriving from Greek alabastros, itself perhaps from Egyptian 'a-labaste "vessel of the goddess Bast". The English word alabaster is used figuratively for whiteness and smoothness.
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Meant "crossbowman" (from Anglo-Norman arblaster, from Old French arbalestre "crossbow").Cf. Armbruster ("crossbowman" or "maker of crossbows", from a derivative of Middle High German armbrust "crossbow", from Old French arbalestre), Ballaster ("person who makes or is armed with a crossbow", from a derivative of Middle English baleste "crossbow", from Old French).
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Meant "crossbowman" (from Anglo-Norman arblaster, from Old French arbalestre "crossbow").Cf. Armbruster ("crossbowman" or "maker of crossbows", from a derivative of Middle High German armbrust "crossbow", from Old French arbalestre), Ballaster ("person who makes or is armed with a crossbow", from a derivative of Middle English baleste "crossbow", from Old French).