soapstone
noun
- type of metamorphic rock
Wiktionary
Pronunciation: /ˈsoʊpˌstoʊn/
noun
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.
- A soft rock, rich in talc, also containing serpentine and either magnetite, dolomite or calcite.
“To have a reliable fire, you'll need to carve a lamp from soapstone (you know what soapstone looks like, right?), render some oil for the lamp from blubber, and make a wick out of a particular species of moss.”
- Synonym of saponite.
verb
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.
- To scrub with soapstone.