[por.phy.ry] n, pl -ries [ME porphiri, fr. ML porphyrium, alter. of L porphyrites, fr. Gk porphyrites (lithos), lit., stone like Tyrian purple, fr. porphyra purple] (15c) 1: a rock consisting of feldspar crystals embedded in a compact dark red or purple groundmass
2: an igneous rock of porphyritic texture