porphyritic
/ˌpɔːrfəˈrɪtɪk/
adjective
- Describing a type of igneous rock that has large crystals (phenocrysts) embedded in a finer-grained groundmass.
- Porphyritic rocks are often used in construction for their attractive appearance.
- Geologists identified the rock as porphyritic because of the contrast between the big and small crystals.
- The porphyritic texture of the granite was visible with its large feldspar crystals.