stone
stohn
Stone (noun) means a hard natural material, or a piece of it, such as rock or a pebble. Example: “The garden wall was built from grey stone found nearby.”
noun
1
A hard natural material, or a piece of it, such as rock or a pebble.
"The garden wall was built from grey stone found nearby."
"I picked a smooth stone off the path and put it in my pocket."
"He skipped a flat stone across the lake."
2
A precious gem, especially a diamond or other jewel.
"The jeweller examined the stone under a bright light."
"She lost a small stone from her necklace on holiday."
"The ring had a large stone set in gold."
3
A British unit of weight equal to 14 pounds, mainly used for a person's body weight.
"My brother wants to lose a stone before the summer holiday."
"She said she had put on half a stone over the winter."
"He weighs about twelve stone."
4
The hard pit at the center of certain fruits, such as peaches or plums.
"Remove the stone from each plum before you cook the fruit."
"The peach had a large stone that was hard to pull out."
"Be careful not to bite down on the stone in the cherry."
verb
1
To throw stones at someone or something, especially as punishment.
"The crowd stoned the vehicle in protest."
How to use stone
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishA piece of rock, a gem, a fruit pit, or (in the UK) a unit of body weight equal to 14 pounds.
UK vs US
The "stone" as a weight unit (14 lbs) is used in the UK and Ireland, not in the US.
Common pairings
a precious stone
weigh ten stone
stone cold
set in stone
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Word forms
- Plural
- stones
- Third person singular
- stones
- Past tense
- stoned
Fill the gap
Can you complete this real example?
The garden wall was built from grey _____ found nearby.
Etymology
From Old English stan, from a Proto-Germanic root meaning "to stiffen" — related to "stain" and "stein."
Synonyms
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Rhymes for stone
See all rhymes for stone →Frequently asked questions
What does “stone” mean?
The word “stone” means a hard natural material, or a piece of it, such as rock or a pebble. In plain terms, a piece of rock, a gem, a fruit pit, or (in the UK) a unit of body weight equal to 14 pounds.
How do you pronounce “stone”?
“Stone” is pronounced stohn (/stoʊ̯n/ in IPA).
How do you use “stone” in a sentence?
Here is “stone” used in a sentence: “He skipped a flat stone across the lake.”
What is another word for “stone”?
Words with a similar meaning to “stone” include hard stone-like deposit.
What part of speech is “stone”?
Depending on how it is used, “stone” can be a noun and a verb.
Where does the word “stone” come from?
The word “stone” comes from Old English. From Old English stan, from a Proto-Germanic root meaning "to stiffen" — related to "stain" and "stein.".
Is “stone” a common word?
“Stone” is a very common word in modern English, usually learned at around the A1 level.
How many meanings does “stone” have?
“Stone” has 5 distinct senses listed in this dictionary. The most common is: a hard natural material, or a piece of it, such as rock or a pebble.
What is the difference between a stone and a rock?
The terms overlap, but a rock is generally larger and part of the earth's solid mass, while a stone is a smaller, often loose piece you can pick up or handle. In everyday use, a stone is what you might throw or build with, whereas a rock suggests something bigger and heavier.
What are the types of stone?
Geologists group stone into three families: igneous, such as granite; sedimentary, such as limestone and sandstone; and metamorphic, such as marble and slate. In everyday terms, people also speak of building stone, precious stones or gems, and small stones like pebbles and gravel.
Does stone have other meanings?
Yes. Beyond rock, stone can mean a gem, as in a precious stone; the hard seed inside fruits like cherries; a British unit of weight equal to fourteen pounds; and a hard mineral mass in the body, such as a kidney stone. Context makes the intended sense clear.
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