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porphyry

1

[ pawr-fuh-ree ]

noun

, plural por·phy·ries.
  1. a very hard rock, anciently quarried in Egypt, having a dark, purplish-red groundmass containing small crystals of feldspar.
  2. Petrology. any igneous rock containing coarse crystals, as phenocrysts, in a finer-grained groundmass.


Porphyry

2

[ pawr-fuh-ree ]

noun

  1. Malchus, a.d. c233–c304, Greek philosopher.

porphyry

1

/ ˈpɔːfɪrɪ /

noun

  1. any igneous rock with large crystals embedded in a finer groundmass of minerals
  2. obsolete.
    a reddish-purple rock consisting of large crystals of feldspar in a finer groundmass of feldspar, hornblende, etc
“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


Porphyry

2

/ ˈpɔːfɪrɪ /

noun

  1. Porphyry232305MGreekSyrianPHILOSOPHY: philosopher original name Malchus. 232–305 ad , Greek Neo-Platonist philosopher, born in Syria; disciple and biographer of Plotinus
“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

porphyry

/ pôrfə-rē /

  1. An igneous rock containing the large crystals known as phenocrysts embedded in a fine-grained matrix.


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Other Words From

  • Por·phyr·e·an [pawr-, feer, -ee-, uh, n], adjective
  • Por·phyri·an adjective noun
  • Por·phyri·an·ist noun
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Word History and Origins

Origin of porphyry1

1350–1400; Middle English porfurie, porfirie < Medieval Latin porphyreum, alteration of Latin porphyrītēs < Greek porphyrī́tēs porphyry, short for porphyrī́tēs líthos porphyritic (i.e., purplish) stone, equivalent to pórphyr ( os ) purple + -ītēs; -ite 1
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Word History and Origins

Origin of porphyry1

C14 porfurie, from Late Latin porphyrītēs, from Greek porphuritēs ( lithos ) purple (stone), from porphuros purple
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Example Sentences

He stood still an instant, hidden by the porphyry columns of the portico.

The crystallised ray enshrines the liquid, and the porphyry flagstones of the terraces reflect the surrounding objects like ice.

In vain he sought support against one of the porphyry columns at the facade of the mosque.

The river, perfectly clear of rocks, was a sheet of liquid porphyry, an arrow of dark-red water slightly flecked with foam.

Now, among the spoil were some bronze gates and two rosy pillars of porphyry, very precious.

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