Definition of PORPHYRY

porphyry

Plural: porphyries

Noun

  • any igneous rock with crystals embedded in a finer groundmass of minerals
  • A hard igneous rock consisting of large crystals in a fine-grained matrix.
  • A hard igneous rock consisting of large crystals in a fine-grained matrix.
  • A purple-red rock of this kind.
  • pl. -RIES an igneous rock

Origin / Etymology

From Old French porfire, from Ancient Greek πορφυρίτης λίθος (porphurítēs líthos, “purple stone”), from πορφύρα (porphúra, “purple-fish, purple dye”).

Synonyms

porphyritic rock

Scrabble Score: 21

porphyry: valid Scrabble (US) TWL word
porphyry: valid Scrabble Word in Merriam-Webster MW Dictionary
porphyry: valid Scrabble Word in International Collins CSW Dictionary

Words With Friends Score: 20

porphyry is a valid Words With Friends word