Meanings
nounchatoyment (uncountable)
- uncountableChangeableness of color, as in a mineral; play of colors.
The colour of these "black pearls" is black by incident light; by rolling the pearls in a certain direction brownish coloured bands with chatoyment are shown the same as can be observed in cabochon ground Cat's eyes (quartz).
1941, J. Bolman, The Mystery of the Pearl
Origin
- Frenchchatoiement
- Englishchatoyment
From French chatoiement. See chatoyant.
More words from French
Full word history & related roots →Cite this entry
APA
chatoyment. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 3, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/chatoyment
MLA
“chatoyment.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/chatoyment. Accessed November 3, 2026.
Chicago
WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “chatoyment,” accessed November 3, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/chatoyment.
Source: chatoyment on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.