soapstone

[ sohp-stohn ]

noun

1. a massive variety of talc with a soapy or greasy feel, used for hearths, washtubs, tabletops, carved ornaments, etc.

soapstone

/ ˈsəʊpˌstəʊn /

noun

1. a massive compact soft variety of talc, used for making tabletops, hearths, ornaments, etc Also calledsteatite

soapstone

/ sōp′stōn′ /

1. A soft metamorphic rock composed mostly of the mineral talc, but also including chlorite, pyroxene, and amphibole. It has a schistose texture and is greasy to the touch. Soapstone forms through the alteration of ferromagnesian silicate minerals during metamorphism.

Word History and Origins

Origin of soapstone¹

First recorded in 1675–85; soap + stone

Word History and Origins

Origin of soapstone¹

C17: so called because it has a greasy feel and was sometimes used as soap

Example Sentences

To better understand carbon cycling between Earth's mantle and the ocean, Klein, Schroeder, and colleagues studied the formation of soapstone "and other magnesite-bearing assemblages during mineral carbonation of mantle peridotite" in the St. Paul's transform fault, the paper notes.

From Science Daily

You’ll also pass a more than 2,000-year-old soapstone quarry.

From Los Angeles Times

“Reused farm sinks, soapstone sinks and pedestal sinks can often be used as-is. Claw foot tubs can be refinished to add a period touch to a bathroom. Antique lighting fixtures are readily available and can be readily rewired if necessary,” McCormick said.

From Seattle Times

“One easy way to refresh an original fireplace in an older home is to update the front hearth with a remnant stone slab like soapstone or marble,” she says.

From Seattle Times

Judaculla’s Rock is a 240-square-foot soapstone boulder in the Appalachians that’s covered in over 1,500 petroglyphs, the oldest of which dates to roughly 4,000 years ago.

From National Geographic