pavonazzo

noun

pa·​vo·​naz·​zo

ˌpävəˈnät(ˌ)sō

variants or pavonazzetto

ˌpävənətˈset(ˌ)ō

plural -s

1

: a marble with veins usually of red, violet, or purple found in ancient Roman buildings and thought to be Phrygian

2

: a contemporary marble resembling pavonazzo

Word History

Etymology

pavonazzo from Italian, from pavonazzo peacock-colored, purplish, from Latin pavonaceus like a peacock's tail, variegated, from pavon-, pavo peacock + -aceus -aceous; pavonazzetto from Italian, from pavonazzo + -etto -et (from Late Latin -itus & -ita)

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