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porphyry definition

por·phyry (pôr′fə rē)

noun pl. porphyries -·ries

  1. Historical an Egyptian rock with large feldspar crystals contained in a purplish groundmass
  2. any igneous rock with large, distinct crystals, esp. of alkali feldspar, embedded in a fine-grained matrix

Etymology: ME porfirie < OFr porfire < ML porphyreum, altered < L porphyrites < Gr porphyritēs (lithos), lit., purple (stone) < porphyros, purple

Webster's New World College Dictionary Copyright © 2005 by Wiley Publishing, Inc., Cleveland, Ohio.
Used by arrangement with John Wiley & Sons, Inc.

porphyry Usage Examples

Converse of object

  • mineralise: Detailed stream sediment and rock chip sampling led to the identification of mineralised porphyry with stronger copper than gold potential.

Adjective modifier

  • red: The principal substrata are, sandstone, amygdaloid alternated with trap, and red porphyry.

Modifies a noun

  • mineralization: North Lanut, Indonesia The 50,000 hectare tenement covers several areas prospective for epithermal and porphyry mineralization.

Noun used with modifier

  • copper: This license hosts at least eight gold prospects and copper molybdenum gold porphyry with recently discovered platinum group element potential and rare earth deposits.
porphyry usage examples (more)

The word usage examples above have been gathered from various sources to reflect current and historical usage. They do not represent the opinions of YourDictionary.com.

porphyry quotes

For seasons change, And order, truth, and beauty range, Adjust, attract, and fill: The grass the polyanthus cheques; And polished porphyry reflects, By the descending rill.

-Smart, Christopher

porphyry quotes (more)

Webster's New World Dictionary of Quotations Copyright © 2005 by Chambers Harrap Publishers Ltd. All rights reserved. Published by Wiley, Hoboken, NJ. Used by arrangement with John Wiley & Sons, Inc.

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"porphyry." Webster's New World College Dictionary. 2009

  • Your Dictionary. 5 July 2009
  • <www.yourdictionary.com/porphyry>

APA Style

porphyry. (2009). In Webster's New World College Dictionary

  • Retrieved July 5th, 2009, from www.yourdictionary.com/porphyry

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