Porphyry
/ˈpɔːr.fɪ.ri/noun
A hard purple or reddish-purple rock used decoratively, especially in architecture and sculpture.
Did you know?The word ultimately traces back to the Greek name for the purple dye made from murex shells, the same elite color that became a symbol of imperial and sacred authority in the ancient world.
Etymological Timeline
Ancient Greek
Greek
πορφύρα (porphyra)
“purple dye, purple cloth, and the deep purple color associated with luxury and power”
Late Latin
Latin
porphyrites
“a purple stone or porphyry rock”
Old French
Old French
porfire
“porphyry, the purple stone”
Middle English
English
porfirie / porphiry
“porphyry stone, especially a hard purple rock used in buildings and monuments”
Modern English
English
porphyry
“a hard purple or reddish-purple igneous rock used decoratively”