por·phy·ry (pôr f -r )n. pl. por·phy·ries Rock containing relatively large conspicuous crystals, especially feldspar, in a fine-grained igneous matrix. [Middle English porphiri, porfurie, from Old French porfire, from Italian porfiro, from Medieval Latin porphyrium, from Latin porphyr  ts, from Greek porphurts, from porphur , shellfish yielding purple dye, purple (from its color).] |
porphyry [ˈpɔːfɪrɪ]
n pl -ries
1. (Earth Sciences / Geological Science) any igneous rock with large crystals embedded in a finer groundmass of minerals
2. (Earth Sciences / Geological Science) Obsolete a reddish-purple rock consisting of large crystals of feldspar in a finer groundmass of feldspar, hornblende, etc.
[C14 porfurie, from Late Latin porphyrītēs, from Greek porphuritēs (lithos) purple (stone), from porphuros purple]
Porphyry [ˈpɔːfɪrɪ]
n
(Biographies / Porphyry (232-305) M, Greeknational of birth: Syrian, PHILOSOPHY: philosopher) original name Malchus. 232-305 ad, Greek Neo-Platonist philosopher, born in Syria; disciple and biographer of Plotinus
| porphyry (pôrf-r) An igneous rock containing the large crystals known as phenocrysts embedded in a fine-grained matrix. porphyritic adjective (pôr  f-r tk) |
ThesaurusLegend: Synonyms Related Words Antonyms
| Noun | 1. |  porphyry - any igneous rock with crystals embedded in a finer groundmass of mineralsgroundmass - (geology) the matrix of fine-grained crystalline material in which larger crystals are embedded igneous rock - rock formed by the solidification of molten magma |
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