alabaster

/ˈæl.əˌbɑːs.tə/

//ˈæl.əˌbɑːs.tə// noun

By · According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA) ·

"alabaster" is a 9-letter English headword indexed on PlainSpell.

The verdict

“alabaster” has 13 generated spelling variants in the English index at frequency #40,991. The variants make it a useful spelling check.

#40,991
frequency rank, English
3,931
“A” headwords
13
tracked misspellings

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed September 3, 2026) - A fine-grained white or lightly-tinted variety of gypsum, used ornamentally.

Corpus desk

Index EN-alabaster · alabaster · English

alabaster · rank #40,991 · 13 variants · 0 confusables

  • FREQ-MID #40,991
  • LEN-LONG 9 letters
  • VOW-4 4 vowels
  • CONFUS-0 No pairs
  • VAR-HIGH 13 variants
  • BOOK-MID 3,931
  • PHOTO-FINISH allegro

Nearest frequency peer: allegro (+1 rank slots)

Read with this headword: Spelling guide for this pattern

Desk codes from Wiktionary headword shape, FrequencyWords rank tier, confusable-pair count, generated misspelling depth, letter-cohort book size, and photo-finish peer. Not a difficulty grade.

Rank peers near misspelling magnet “alabaster”

Same rarity band: useful when a typo lands on a peer headword

corpus weight

What this shows “alabaster” sits among these FrequencyWords peers; misspelling depth is tracked separately in the edit-distance chart.

Source FrequencyWords open word-frequency list As of September 3, 2026
Key facts for alabaster
PropertyValue
Headwordalabaster
LanguageEnglish
Part of speechNoun
IPA/ˈæl.əˌbɑːs.tə/
Letters9
Frequency rank#40,991
Misspellings tracked13
Confusable pairs0
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Frequency seat of misspelling magnet “alabaster”

Every-word frequency runs from the handful of words we use constantly (left) to the long tail used once in a blue moon (right).alabasterlands here:

#1#100#1K#10K#100K
← used constantlyrarely used →

Scale is logarithmic (each tick is 10× rarer). Same rarity band neighbours include “allegro” (#40,992), “adjourn” (#40,988), “anaesthesia” (#40,995). Among 3,931 “A” headwords, “alabaster” is #40,991. Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list.

A misspelling magnet

The generator records 13 spelling variants around alabaster (IPA /ˈæl.əˌbɑːs.tə/), anoun. Corpus frequency is #40,991 among 3,931 “A” headwords. Wiktionary lists 3 senses, so context still picks the gloss.

Our generated misspelling index lists 13 likely wrong-spelling variants for alabaster, with forms such as "aalbaster", "alaabster", and "alabasetr". Each variant is a distinct typo pattern an edit-distance generator flags, typically a doubled-consonant error, a silent-letter drop, or a vowel substitution. Our confusable-pair dataset has no match for it, a sign it's visually distinctive enough not to be mixed up with another word.

Etymologically, the entry records: From Middle English alabastre, from Old French alabastre, from Latin alabaster (“box for perfumes or unguents”), from Ancient Greek ἀλάβαστρος (alábastros), from earlier ἀλάβαστος (alábastos, “vase without handles for storing perfumes”). This may further de… The correct English form is alabaster, spelled A-L-A-B-A-S-T-E-R.

Definition

  1. 1
    A fine-grained white or lightly-tinted variety of gypsum, used ornamentally.
  2. 2
    A variety of calcite, translucent and sometimes banded.
  3. 3
    An off-white colour, like that of alabaster.

Recorded use

Wiktionary examples

These source excerpts show how alabaster appears in context. They illustrate usage; the definition above remains the entry’s reference meaning.

  1. Why ſhould a man whoſe bloud is warme within, Sit like his Grandſire, cut in Alabaſter?
  2. Nor was the flame dissevered from its ribbon But like a radiant fillet ran along So that fire seemed it behind alabaster.

Etymology

From Middle English alabastre, from Old French alabastre, from Latin alabaster (“box for perfumes or unguents”), from Ancient Greek ἀλάβαστρος (alábastros), from earlier ἀλάβαστος (alábastos, “vase without handles for storing perfumes”). This may further derive from Egyptian ꜥj-r-bꜣstjt (“vessel of the Egyptian goddess Bast”). The Latin suffix -aster is unrelated, but may have influenced the spelling of the borrowing from Ancient Greek (whence a direct loan could have been rendered as *alabastrus).

This word in other languages

alabastro(Español)albâtre(Français)Alabaster(Deutsch)alabastro(Português)

Common misspellings

Also misspelled as:

  • aalbaster
  • alaabster
  • alabasetr
  • alabasster
  • alabasterr
  • alabastre
  • alabastter
  • alabatser
  • alabbaster
  • alabsater
  • albaaster
  • allabaster
  • laabaster

Misspelling Pattern Breakdown

How far each generated variant is from the correct spelling of alabaster - measured in single-character edits (insert, delete, or substitute a letter). Larger bars are easier to catch; one-edit slips are the sneakiest.

aalbaster2alaabster2alabasetr2alabasster1alabasterr1alabastre2alabastter1alabatser2
Edit distance from "alabaster"

Definitions, pronunciation, and etymology for this entry are drawn from Wiktionary via the kaikki.org structured extract (CC BY-SA); frequency ordering uses the FrequencyWords open word-frequency list (2018 English corpus, MIT). See the methodology for how each field is sourced and updated.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do you spell "alabaster"?
"alabaster" is spelled A-L-A-B-A-S-T-E-R. The IPA pronunciation is /ˈæl.əˌbɑːs.tə/.
What does "alabaster" mean?
As a noun, "alabaster" means: A fine-grained white or lightly-tinted variety of gypsum, used ornamentally.
What are common misspellings of "alabaster"?
Common misspellings include "aalbaster", "alaabster", "alabasetr", "alabasster", "alabasterr". The correct spelling is "alabaster".
How do you pronounce "alabaster"?
The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "alabaster" is /ˈæl.əˌbɑːs.tə/. Click the speaker icon on the pronunciation badge above to hear it spoken aloud where audio is available.
What is the origin of the word "alabaster"?
From Middle English alabastre, from Old French alabastre, from Latin alabaster (“box for perfumes or unguents”), from Ancient Greek ἀλάβαστρος (alábastros), from earlier ἀλάβαστος (alábastos, “vase without handles for storing perfumes”). This may ... See the full etymology section above for more details.
Is PlainSpell free to use?
Yes, PlainSpell is a completely free word reference. You can look up definitions, pronunciations, confusable pairs, homophones, and spelling corrections across 5 languages without any sign-up or subscription.

Similar English words by spelling shape

Same letter count and similar misspelling depth for "alabaster", not the corpus desk frequency band.

Same letter count

Frequency-ranked English headwords with 9 letters (nearest by frequency rank).

workhorse#40,976boathouse#41,025brickwork#41,028utterance#40,951

Similar misspelling depth

Headwords with a similar count of attested misspellings (13 here; floor ≥5).

yachting13 variantsblowback13 variantsurination13 variantstarantula13 variants

Source: Wiktionary (via kaikki.org) Structured Wiktionary extract

Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list