noun
- a type of opal that becomes transparent or translucent when immersed in water due to the filling of microscopic pores
Usage: mineralogy; also called hydrophilous opal
Examples
- The hydrophane opal displayed remarkable optical changes when placed in water.
- Collectors prize hydrophane specimens for their unique transparency-shifting properties.
- When dry, the hydrophane appears milky, but submerging it reveals hidden colors.
- The gemologist identified the stone as hydrophane based on its water-responsive behavior.