Stone

Definition

The term "stone" refers to a small piece of rock or mineral matter, often used as a building material or in various decorative applications.

Parts of Speech

• Noun
• Verb

Pronunciation

American English

• IPA Pronunciation: /stoʊn/
• Respelling: STOHN

British English

• IPA Pronunciation: /stəʊn/
• Respelling: STOHN

Etymology

The word "stone" originates from Old English "stān," meaning "rock" or "stone," derived from Proto-Germanic "*stainaz" and Proto-Indo-European "*stāi-" meaning "to stand, remain firm." It is related to Old High German "stein" and Old Norse "steinn."

Derivatives

• Stony (adjective)
• Stonework (noun)
• Stonewall (verb)
• Stoneware (noun)
• Stone-cold (adjective)

Synonyms

• Rock
• Boulder
• Pebble

Antonyms

• None

Usage

The term "stone" is widely used in construction, decoration, and figurative language. For example, "The house was built with stone walls" or "Her heart felt as heavy as a stone."

Related Terms

• Rock: A larger mass of solid mineral material.
• Granite: A type of stone often used in construction.
• Pebble: A small, smooth stone.

Detailed Definitions

Noun

• A small piece of rock: Refers to a fragment of rock used for construction, decoration, or other purposes.
  • Example: "He threw a stone into the lake."
• A gemstone: Refers to a precious or semi-precious mineral used in jewelry.
  • Example: "The ring was set with a sparkling stone."
• A hard seed inside fruit: Refers to the pit of certain fruits like peaches or cherries.
  • Example: "Remove the stone from the cherries before baking."

Verb

• To throw stones at someone or something: Refers to the act of pelting with stones.
  • Example: "The protesters were stoned by the opposing crowd."
• To remove the stone from fruit: Refers to the act of extracting the pit or hard seed from fruit.
  • Example: "She carefully stoned the olives before adding them to the salad."