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From The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.44 [gcide]:
Porphyry \Por"phy*ry\, noun; pl. {Porphyries}. [F. porphyre, L. porphyrites, fr. Gr. ? like purple, fr. ? purple. See {Purple}.] (Geol.) A term used somewhat loosely to designate a rock consisting of a fine-grained base (usually feldspathic) through which crystals, as of feldspar or quartz, are disseminated. There are red, purple, and green varieties, which are highly esteemed as marbles.
{Porphyry shell} (Zo["o]l.), a handsome marine gastropod shell ({Oliva porphyria}), having a dark red or brown polished surface, marked with light spots, like porphyry.
From WordNet (r) 2.0 [wn]:
porphyry
noun: any igneous rock with crystals embedded in a finer groundmass of minerals [syn: {porphyritic rock}]
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