English Explanatory Dictionary

soapstone

English dictionary entry

Meanings

noun
  1. A soft rock, rich in talc, also containing serpentine and either magnetite, dolomite or calcite.
  2. Synonym of saponite.
verb
  1. To scrub with soapstone.

Pronunciation

/ˈsoʊpˌstoʊn/ LL-Q1860 (eng)-Vealhurl-soapstone.wav

Word forms

soapstone soapstones soapstoning soapstoned

Etymology

From soap + stone; so called because the archetypal varieties of the stone resemble soap in multiple ways: their feel, appearance, and carvability. First use appears c. 1681, in the writings of Nehemiah Grew.

Synonyms

soaprock steatite saponite

Derived words

soapstoner
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