soapstone
[sohp-stohn]
- a massive variety of talc with a soapy or greasy feel, used for hearths, washtubs, tabletops, carved ornaments, etc.
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Origin of soapstone
Also called steatite.
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2018
Examples from the Web for soapstone
Historical Examples
Popularly the terms talc and soapstone are often used synonymously.
The Economic Aspect of GeologyC. K. Leith
The pot above it, suspended from the roof, was also made of soapstone.
The Giant of the NorthR.M. Ballantyne
It is made of soapstone and has a hole in each corner for the string.
The Central EskimoFranz Boas
The blue rocks are hollowed like soapstone by the rush of the water.
From Sea to SeaRudyard Kipling
One could tell by the soapstone lamps in the huts that famine was near.
The Second Jungle BookRudyard Kipling
soapstone
- a massive compact soft variety of talc, used for making tabletops, hearths, ornaments, etcAlso called: steatite
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Word Origin
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
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Word Origin and History for soapstone
Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2010 Douglas Harper
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.
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The American Heritage® Science Dictionary
Copyright © 2011. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.