Pipestones

Part of speech: noun

Definitions

1. A type of stone that is soft and easy to carve, often used by Native Americans to create ceremonial pipes and tools
2. Typically refers to materials like catlinite or steatite valued for their ability to produce smooth, well-working surfaces
3. Associated with historical and cultural significance in the crafting of smoking implements and other artistic expressions

Etymology: Pipestone is a compound of two plain English words: "pipe" and "stone." The stone is a soft, fine-grained rock, commonly catlinite, that is easy to cut and carve, which made it prized for ceremonial pipes and small tools. The name describes the use, not a chemical or geological category, so the word says what the stone is for rather than what it is made of. "Pipestones" is simply the plural, referring to several pieces or several deposits of the material. Its meaning follows directly from the singular, so the plural adds no new history of its own.