Porphyry is a reddish-brown to purple igneous rock containing large phenocrysts of various minerals embedded in a fine-grained matrix
From Old French porfire, from Italian porfiro and in some cases directly from Latin porphyrites
Fine Grained Rock, Opaque Rock
Define Porphyry
Porphyry is one of the important type of rocks. If we have to define Porphyry in general, Porphyry is a reddish-brown to purple igneous rock containing large phenocrysts of various minerals embedded in a fine-grained matrix. Porphyry comes under Igneous Rocks. All Igneous Rocks have similar properties and formation process. Along with Porphyry Definition, know more about the History of Porphyry, Etymology of Porphyry in next sections.