soapstone

[ sohp-stohn ]

/ ˈsoʊpˌstoʊn /

noun

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

Nearby words

soapbox, soaper, soapfish, soapie, soapolallie, soapstone, soapsuds, soapwort, soapy, soar, soaraway

Origin of soapstone

First recorded in 1675–85; soap + stone

Also called steatite.

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2019

Examples from the Web for soapstone

I used to make toy rifles and pistols and all sorts of nice playthings out of that soapstone.
Slave Narratives: A Folk History of Slavery in the United States From Interviews with Former Slaves|Work Projects Administration
This was at a place about six feet below the square of soapstone with a hole in it, through which the stovepipe passed.
The Best Short Stories of 1919|Various
Cheap candies contain such substances as glue and soapstone.
The Holy Earth|L. H. Bailey
The lamp (qudlirn), which is made of soapstone, is a shallow vessel in the shape of a small segment of a circle.
The Central Eskimo|Franz Boas

They also manufacture various domestic utensils from soapstone, which they sell at a very cheap rate to shopkeepers in the bazar.
Castes and Tribes of Southern India|Edgar Thurston

British Dictionary definitions for soapstone

soapstone

/ (ˈsəʊpˌstəʊn) /

noun

a massive compact soft variety of talc, used for making tabletops, hearths, ornaments, etcAlso called: steatite

Word Origin for soapstone

C17: so called because it has a greasy feel and was sometimes used as soap

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Science definitions for soapstone

soapstone

[ sōp′stōn′ ]

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.