porphyry
noun
por·phy·ry
ˈpȯr-f(ə-)rē 
plural porphyries
1
: a rock consisting of feldspar crystals embedded in a compact dark red or purple groundmass
2
: an igneous rock of porphyritic texture
Examples of porphyry in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
The porphyries intrude sediments (sandstone, limestone, and shale) which show contact metasomatism around dykes and intrusive stocks.
—
Kansas City Star, 22 May 2024
Economic metal concentrations in B.C. style porphyries are typically located adjacent to regional-scale unconformities.
—Sacramento Bee, 7 Mar. 2024
According to Simeoni, it was originally created by workmen who came all the way from Italy and collaborated with British carvers, using a combination of materials both local and transported all the way from Rome, including purple and green porphyry and Purbeck marble.
—Kelly Faircloth, Curbed, 5 May 2023
Its vast dome was designed by master architects from the East using innovative engineering; its marble floors featured circles of rare purple porphyry from Egypt, and the walls and ceilings glowed with colored marble and stucco, and an image of Christ hovering above the four rivers of paradise.
—Tony Perrottet, Smithsonian Magazine, 9 Jan. 2023
The abstract pattern includes triangles, squares, circles, and rectangles made of onyx, purple porphyry, green serpentine, and yellow limestone, along with red, turquoise, and cobalt blue colored glass.
—Stacey Leasca, Travel + Leisure, 28 Mar. 2023
Since 2010, the world’s largest copper producer has been Chile, thanks to the abundant porphyry copper in the Andes.
—Erik Klemetti, Discover Magazine, 13 Aug. 2019
Most copper is found in porphyry copper deposits in the large chunks of molten rock that make up the Earth’s crust.
—Sara Novak, Discover Magazine, 24 Dec. 2022
Trompe l’oeil artists were also highly in demand in the decorative arts, and wealthy patrons would hire peintres-décorateurs to shellac their drawing rooms with imitation marble and porphyry.
—Jason Farago, New York Times, 11 Nov. 2022
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Kansas City Star, 22 May 2024
Economic metal concentrations in B.C. style porphyries are typically located adjacent to regional-scale unconformities.
—Sacramento Bee, 7 Mar. 2024
According to Simeoni, it was originally created by workmen who came all the way from Italy and collaborated with British carvers, using a combination of materials both local and transported all the way from Rome, including purple and green porphyry and Purbeck marble.
—Kelly Faircloth, Curbed, 5 May 2023
Its vast dome was designed by master architects from the East using innovative engineering; its marble floors featured circles of rare purple porphyry from Egypt, and the walls and ceilings glowed with colored marble and stucco, and an image of Christ hovering above the four rivers of paradise.
—Tony Perrottet, Smithsonian Magazine, 9 Jan. 2023
The abstract pattern includes triangles, squares, circles, and rectangles made of onyx, purple porphyry, green serpentine, and yellow limestone, along with red, turquoise, and cobalt blue colored glass.
—Stacey Leasca, Travel + Leisure, 28 Mar. 2023
Since 2010, the world’s largest copper producer has been Chile, thanks to the abundant porphyry copper in the Andes.
—Erik Klemetti, Discover Magazine, 13 Aug. 2019
Most copper is found in porphyry copper deposits in the large chunks of molten rock that make up the Earth’s crust.
—Sara Novak, Discover Magazine, 24 Dec. 2022
Trompe l’oeil artists were also highly in demand in the decorative arts, and wealthy patrons would hire peintres-décorateurs to shellac their drawing rooms with imitation marble and porphyry.
—Jason Farago, New York Times, 11 Nov. 2022
Dictionary Entries Near porphyry
Cite this Entry
“Porphyry.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/porphyry. Accessed 1 Dec. 2024.
Copy CitationKids Definition
porphyry
noun
por·phy·ry
ˈpȯr-f(ə-)rē
plural porphyries
: a rock consisting of feldspar crystals set firmly in a compact dark red or purple base
porphyritic
adjective
ˌpȯr-fə-ˈrit-ik
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