porphyry

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(pôr′fə rē)

noun pl. porphyries

  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

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

See porphyry in American Heritage Dictionary 4

noun pl. por·phy·ries
Rock containing relatively large conspicuous crystals, especially feldspar, in a fine-grained igneous matrix.

Origin:

Origin: Middle English porphiri, porfurie

Origin: , from Old French porfire

Origin: , from Italian porfiro

Origin: , from Medieval Latin porphyrium

Origin: , from Latin porphyrītēs

Origin: , from Greek porphurītēs

Origin: , from porphurā, shellfish yielding purple dye, purple (from its color)

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