Porphyry Definition

pôrfə-rē
porphyries
noun
porphyries
A type of rock quarried in ancient times in Egypt, with large feldspar crystals contained in a purplish groundmass.
Webster's New World
Any igneous rock with large, distinct crystals, esp. of alkali feldspar, embedded in a fine-grained matrix.
Webster's New World
Synonyms:
  • porphyritic rock

Other Word Forms of Porphyry

Noun

Singular:
porphyry
Plural:
porphyries

Origin of Porphyry

  • Middle English porphiri, porfurie from Old French porfire from Italian porfiro from Medieval Latin porphyrium from Latin porphyrītēs from Greek porphurītēs from porphurā shellfish yielding purple dye, purple (from its color)

    From American Heritage Dictionary of the English Language, 5th Edition

  • From Ancient Greek πορφυρίτες λίθος ("purple stone").

    From Wiktionary

Porphyry Sentence Examples

  • The object of philosophy, according to Porphyry, is the salvation of the soul.

  • Amongst his pupils, Amelius and Porphyry are the most eminent.

  • Its ancient castle is picturesquely situated on a lofty porphyry rock, and is memorable as the place from which, in 1455, Kunz von Kaufungen carried off the young princes Albert and Ernest, the founders of the present royal and ducal families of Saxony.

  • One variety forms the ground of a very good imitation of porphyry; and there is a dull semi-transparent red which, when light is passed through it, appears to be of a dull green hue.

  • Under him Avicenna read the Isagoge of Porphyry and the first propositions of Euclid.

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Words Starting With

PPOPOR

Words Ending With

YRYYRY

Unscrambles

porphyry

Words Starting With P and Ending With Y

Starts With P & Ends With YStarts With PO & Ends With YStarts With P & Ends With RY

Word Length

8 Letter Words8 Letter Words Starting With P8 Letter Words Ending With Y