Porphyry

¹

[pawr-fuh-ree]

noun

1. Malchus, a.d. c233–c304, Greek philosopher.

porphyry

²

[pawr-fuh-ree]

noun

plural

porphyries 

1. a very hard rock, anciently quarried in Egypt, having a dark, purplish-red groundmass containing small crystals of feldspar.

2. Petrology.,  any igneous rock containing coarse crystals, as phenocrysts, in a finer-grained groundmass.

Porphyry

¹

/ ˈpɔːfɪrɪ /

noun

1. original name Malchus. 232–305 _ad , Greek Neo-Platonist philosopher, born in Syria; disciple and biographer of Plotinus

porphyry

²

/ ˈpɔːfɪrɪ /

noun

1. any igneous rock with large crystals embedded in a finer groundmass of minerals

2. obsolete,  a reddish-purple rock consisting of large crystals of feldspar in a finer groundmass of feldspar, hornblende, etc

porphyry

1. An igneous rock containing the large crystals known as phenocrysts embedded in a fine-grained matrix.

Other Word Forms

• Porphyrean adjective
• Porphyrian adjective
• Porphyrianist noun

Word History and Origins

Origin of Porphyry¹

1350–1400; Middle English porfurie, porfirie < Medieval Latin porphyreum, alteration of Latin porphyrītēs < Greek porphyrī́tēs porphyry, short for porphyrī́tēs líthos porphyritic (i.e., purplish) stone, equivalent to pórphyr ( os ) purple + -ītēs; -ite ¹

Word History and Origins

Origin of Porphyry¹

C14 porfurie, from Late Latin porphyrītēs, from Greek porphuritēs ( lithos ) purple (stone), from porphuros purple

Example Sentences

The team's ongoing research shows similar results for identifying porphyry copper deposits.

Read more on Science Daily

It's a square of about 7.5 metres, with a design of interlocking patterns, using inlaid stones, such as purple-coloured porphyry and yellow limestone.

Read more on BBC

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.

Read more on New York Times

The attractions here include a massive ten-sided table with a porphyry top and an elaborate base adorned with large gilt bronze masks of the four seasons.

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Verrocchio constructed monumental bronze sculptures, carved delicate marble and terra-cotta portrait busts, designed porphyry tombs and marble fountains, as well as painting exquisite panel paintings.

Read more on The Wall Street Journal