jasper
/ˈdʒaspə
/noun [mass noun]
1An opaque reddish-brown semi-precious stone consisting of a variety of chalcedony.Silica precipitated from aqueous solution at low temperatures gives cryptocrystalline varieties such as opal, jasper, chalcedony, agate, carnelian, onyx, flint, and chert....
- The depictions of birds and flowers were executed in precious materials including lapis lazuli, agate, Sicilian red and green jasper, chalcedony, amethyst and quartz as well as superb hard stones.
- Standing at 151 inches by 91 inches, the cabinet is said to be the greatest Florentine work of art of its time and includes lapis lazuli, agate and Sicilian red and green jasper.
2 (also jasperware) A kind of fine hard porcelain developed by Josiah Wedgwood and used for Wedgwood cameos and other delicate work.The factory also made porcelain jugs imitating the Wedgwood jasperware, as did other factories in Staffordshire....
- One year I took gloss black enamel and spray-painted the pots - they all took on the look of black Wedgwood jasperware.
- At that time as well, the Alcora factory began to imitate the jasperware made by Wedgwood.
Origin
Middle English (originally denoting any bright-coloured chalcedony other than carnelian): from Old French jasp(r)e, from Latin iaspis, from Greek, of oriental origin.