soapstone

American  

[sohp-stohn] / ˈsoʊpˌstoʊn /

noun

1. a massive variety of talc with a soapy or greasy feel, used for hearths, washtubs, tabletops, carved ornaments, etc.

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soapstone British  

/ ˈsəʊpˌstəʊn /

noun

1. Also called: steatite.  a massive compact soft variety of talc, used for making tabletops, hearths, ornaments, etc

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soapstone Scientific  

/ sōp′stōn′ /

1. A soft metamorphic rock composed mostly of the mineral talc, but also including chlorite, pyroxene, and amphibole. It has a schistose texture and is greasy to the touch. Soapstone forms through the alteration of ferromagnesian silicate minerals during metamorphism.

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Etymology

Origin of soapstone

First recorded in 1675–85; soap + stone

Example Sentences

Archaeologists have recovered thousands of clay-fired cooking balls and materials brought from faraway regions, such as quartz crystal from Arkansas, soapstone from the Atlanta area, and copper ornaments originating near the Great Lakes.

From Science Daily • Nov. 24, 2025

You’ll also pass a more than 2,000-year-old soapstone quarry.

From Los Angeles Times • Jan. 8, 2024

“One easy way to refresh an original fireplace in an older home is to update the front hearth with a remnant stone slab like soapstone or marble,” she says.

From Seattle Times • Nov. 24, 2023

Judaculla’s Rock is a 240-square-foot soapstone boulder in the Appalachians that’s covered in over 1,500 petroglyphs, the oldest of which dates to roughly 4,000 years ago.

From National Geographic • Oct. 13, 2023

Next to the boiler was a pair of soapstone washtubs with a hinged wooden cover.

From "A Tree Grows in Brooklyn" by Betty Smith