noun
- Plural of hydrophane; minerals or gemstones that become transparent or translucent when immersed in water due to the filling of microscopic pores.
Usage: technical; mineralogy; rare
Examples
- Hydrophanes are fascinating specimens for collectors interested in optical properties of minerals.
- When placed in water, hydrophanes display a dramatic change in transparency.
- The gemologist examined the hydrophanes under magnification to understand their porous structure.
- Some opal varieties are hydrophanes that lose their transparency when they dry out.