porphyry

noun

por·​phy·​ry ˈpȯr-f(ə-)rē How to pronounce porphyry (audio)
plural porphyries
1
: a rock consisting of feldspar crystals embedded in a compact dark red or purple groundmass
2
: an igneous rock of porphyritic texture

Examples of porphyry in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
These examples are automatically compiled from online sources to illustrate current usage. Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
The porphyries intrude sediments (sandstone, limestone, and shale) which show contact metasomatism around dykes and intrusive stocks. Kansas City Star, 22 May 2024 Economic metal concentrations in B.C. style porphyries are typically located adjacent to regional-scale unconformities. Sacramento Bee, 7 Mar. 2024 According to Simeoni, it was originally created by workmen who came all the way from Italy and collaborated with British carvers, using a combination of materials both local and transported all the way from Rome, including purple and green porphyry and Purbeck marble. Kelly Faircloth, Curbed, 5 May 2023 Its vast dome was designed by master architects from the East using innovative engineering; its marble floors featured circles of rare purple porphyry from Egypt, and the walls and ceilings glowed with colored marble and stucco, and an image of Christ hovering above the four rivers of paradise. Tony Perrottet, Smithsonian Magazine, 9 Jan. 2023 The abstract pattern includes triangles, squares, circles, and rectangles made of onyx, purple porphyry, green serpentine, and yellow limestone, along with red, turquoise, and cobalt blue colored glass. Stacey Leasca, Travel + Leisure, 28 Mar. 2023 Since 2010, the world’s largest copper producer has been Chile, thanks to the abundant porphyry copper in the Andes. Erik Klemetti, Discover Magazine, 13 Aug. 2019 Most copper is found in porphyry copper deposits in the large chunks of molten rock that make up the Earth’s crust. Sara Novak, Discover Magazine, 24 Dec. 2022 Trompe l’oeil artists were also highly in demand in the decorative arts, and wealthy patrons would hire peintres-décorateurs to shellac their drawing rooms with imitation marble and porphyry. Jason Farago, New York Times, 11 Nov. 2022

Word History

Etymology

Middle English porphiri, from Medieval Latin porphyrium, alteration of Latin porphyrites, from Greek porphyritēs (lithos), literally, stone like Tyrian purple, from porphyra purple

First Known Use

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of porphyry was in the 15th century

Dictionary Entries Near porphyry

Cite this Entry

“Porphyry.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/porphyry. Accessed 5 Nov. 2024.

Kids Definition

porphyry

noun
por·​phy·​ry ˈpȯr-f(ə-)rē How to pronounce porphyry (audio)
plural porphyries
: a rock consisting of feldspar crystals set firmly in a compact dark red or purple base
porphyritic
ˌpȯr-fə-ˈrit-ik
adjective

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