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Glite Dictionary
pipestone

pipestone

1 9.4
A soft reddish stone that Native American people use to make pipes and carvings
  • noun
  • /ˈpaɪpˌstoʊn/
  • US
: piedra pipestone
  • When Jimmy finished speaking, Grandma One Rock puffed on the red pipestone pipe and passed it again to Jimmy.
  • red pipestone
  • pipestone pipe

Examples

  • Grandma One Rock kept a small tin of tobacco on the mantel next to her red pipestone pipe.

    Fiction book (1993)

  • Craftsmen who use pipestone for profit rather than to create the most sacred Lakota spiritual object have a connection to those missionaries who used pipes in their churches to more effectively sell Christianity (see Steinmetz 1990: 36-39).

    Academic text (1998)

  • It was made of pink pipestone, a gift from Blue Shell's father, Turns Back the Enemy.

    Fiction book (1994)

  • His unassuming approach to his work and life provided a strong connection for the film to examine a more personal statement of spirituality, as he explains in the film his connection to quarrying pipestone with making pipes, which is his life's purpose for continuing this practice.

    Academic text (2004)

  • The Native American craftsman skillfully carved the pipestone into a beautiful pipe for ceremonial use.

  • Traditionally, pipestone is used by many tribes to create pipes that hold significant spiritual meaning.

  • She admired the intricate designs on the pipestone sculpture displayed at the art gallery.

Synonyms

catlinite
vspipestone
  • Specialized
9.9

A soft red stone used by Native Americans to carve ceremonial pipes and other objects

is the general term for the same soft reddish stone used for pipes

Surface Forms

pipestone singular
pipestones plural

Morphology

pipestone = pipe + stone (semi-transparent) = pipe + stone

While the components 'pipe' and 'stone' are clear, the specific cultural meaning of a stone used for carving pipes is specialized.

Etymology

The word pipestone comes from the two simple words pipe and stone, because it is a soft, reddish rock that people used to make 'pipes'. That's why pipestone means the special stone used for pipes and for carving small objects.