Portland stone

noun

1

: a yellowish white oolitic building limestone

2

[from Portland, town in southern Connecticut, its locality] : a purplish brown sandstone

3

or portland stone : light stone

Word History

Etymology

from Isle of Portland, peninsula in southern England, its locality

Love words?

You must — there are over 200,000 words in our free online dictionary, but you are looking for one that’s only in the Merriam-Webster Unabridged Dictionary.

Start your free trial today and get unlimited access to America's largest dictionary, with:

• More than 250,000 words that aren't in our free dictionary
• Expanded definitions, etymologies, and usage notes
• Advanced search features
• Ad free!