stone

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noun \ ˈstōn \

Definition of stone

1 :a concretion of earthy or mineral matter:

a (1) :such a concretion of indeterminate size or shape

(2) :rock

b :a piece of rock for a specified function: such as

(1) :a building block

(2) :a paving block

(3) :a precious stone :gem

(4) :gravestone

(5) :grindstone

(6) :whetstone

(7) :a surface upon which a drawing, text, or design to be lithographed is drawn or transferred

2 :something resembling a small stone: such as

a :calculus 3a

b :the hard central portion of a drupaceous fruit (such as a peach)

c :a hard stony seed (as of a date)

3 plural usually stone :any of various units of weight; especially :an official British unit equal to 14 pounds (6.3 kilograms)

4 a :curling stone

b :a round playing piece used in various games (such as backgammon or go)

5 :a stand or table with a smooth flat top on which to impose or set type

— in stone

:in or into a permanent and unchangeable state

plans are not set in stone

See stone defined for English-language learners

See stone defined for kids

Examples of stone in a Sentence

The pedestal is made of stone.
His birthdate and date of death were carved on the stone.

Recent Examples of stone from the Web

Prices: Start at $5 for salads, $6.50 for starters, $9.50 for sandwiches, $11.50 for raw bar items, $13.50 for shore specialties and $14.50 for entrees, billed as being a stone's throw from the lake.

— jessi virtusio, Post-Tribune, "Bartlett's Fish Camp features fresh raw oysters," 30 Aug. 2017
Vulcan is the largest producer of construction aggregates, like gravel, sand and stone, in the United States.

— kelly poe, AL.com, "Vulcan Materials to buy Canadian aggregates company," 28 Aug. 2017
That would be the bellowing showboat Khalif, who spews venom into the faces of stone-faced police officers in public, knowing they are prohibited from even twitching.

— stu bykofsky, Philly.com, "City protest directive surrenders to Asa Khalif," 28 Aug. 2017
Eyewitnesses described protesters throwing stones, setting vehicles ablaze and toppling media vans in Panchkula.

— vidhi doshi, Washington Post, "Hundreds arrested after riots in northern India leave 32 dead," 26 Aug. 2017
The same is true for the vast majority of the vintage and antique rings in my collection with center stones of over 1-carat.

— marion fasel, Harper's BAZAAR, "Everything You Need To Know About Buying a Vintage Engagement Ring," 11 Aug. 2017
Hagay Hacohen of the Jerusalem Post reports that archaeologists also found a stone pressing floor, a separation pit and a fermentation pool big enough to hold 6,500 liters of wine.

— brigit katz, Smithsonian, "Byzantine Wine Press Found in Israeli Desert," 2 Aug. 2017
So my parents stopped taking me to conventional doctors altogether and started relying primarily on homeopathy and Ayurveda, a form of Indian herbal medicine, in addition to stones that apparently reflected the light of the planets.

— raka chaki, Teen Vogue, "Vitiligo: My Journey Through Art," 20 July 2017
This is actually the third place these stones have called home in our landscape.

— neil sperry, star-telegram, "Mother Nature isn’t a fan of straight lines, and we shouldn’t be either," 19 July 2017

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'stone.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Origin and Etymology of stone

Middle English, from Old English stān; akin to Old High German stein stone, Old Church Slavonic stěna wall, and perhaps to Sanskrit styāyate it hardens — more at steato-

NEW! Time Traveler

First Known Use: before 12th century

See Words from the same year

stone Synonyms

Synonyms

gravestone, headstone, monument, tombstone

Related Words

cross, marker, plaque, table, tablet; monolith, obelisk, pillar; memorial, shrine; burial, sepulchre (or sepulcher), sepulture, tomb

Other Weights and Measures Terms

avoirdupois weight, calorie, denier, kip, pace, twain

stone

verb

Definition of stone

stoned; stoning

transitive verb

1 :to hurl stones at; especially :to kill by pelting with stones

2 archaic :to make hard or insensitive to feeling

3 :to face, pave, or fortify with stones

4 :to remove the stones or seeds of (a fruit)

5 a :to rub, scour, or polish with a stone

b :to sharpen with a whetstone

—

stoner

noun

See stone defined for English-language learners

Examples of stone in a Sentence

He was stoned to death for his crimes.
Stone the peaches before serving.

Recent Examples of stone from the Web

Early in the second quarter, the Ravens sent running back Terrance West up the middle on a first down where he was stoned for a 2-yard loss by Godchaux and fellow rookie Charles Harris.

— ron higgins, NOLA.com, "LSU NFL rookies Davon Godchaux and Kendell Beckwith impessing early and often in preseason," 21 Aug. 2017
During the dinner, King told the audience that his home in Ma'ale Zeitim on the Mount of Olives was stoned 60 times and recently had Molotov cocktails and paint thrown at it.

— sergio carmona, Jewish Journal, "Americans For a Safe Israel sponsors Israeli speaker events in Miami Beach," 3 Aug. 2017
Fatima still has nightmares about the time she was forced, along with several other captive girls, to stone a couple to death for the sin of committing adultery.

— TIME.com, "Boko Haram’s Other Victims," 27 June 2017
In many countries, Wahhabist preaching has encouraged a harshly judgmental religion, contributing to majority support in some polls in Egypt, Pakistan and other countries for stoning for adultery and execution for anyone trying to leave Islam.

— ed kilgore, Daily Intelligencer, "How Trump Got Comfortable With Saudi Religious Extremism," 22 May 2017
Is there really a difference between failing two marijuana tests and getting arrested once for marijuana while admitting another time in a public hearing that you were stoned out of your gourd?

— mike bianchi, OrlandoSentinel.com, "Gators must suspend Callaway for Michigan game after being arrested while hanging out with 40-year-old career criminal," 19 May 2017
He was stoned at 15 the day his father suffered a stroke in the next room and later died.

— carlos frías, miamiherald, "‘My whole life was focused on drugs.’ Miami chef talks addiction in the industry," 18 May 2017
On the assumption that no serious offers beyond marijuana dispensaries (Stoned Stadium?) or breweries (Stone Stadium?) would be interested in a seven-figure one-year contract, let’s put our heads together.

— logan jenkins, sandiegouniontribune.com, "As Qualcomm's naming rights expire, what to call the Q?," 4 May 2017
Shooting Stabbing Stoning Strangling Suffocation The commission did not pull punches in their descriptions of capital punishment.

— william gurstelle, Popular Mechanics, "The Most Gruesome Government Report Ever Written Evaluates 34 Ways to Execute a Man," 16 Mar. 2017

First Known Use of stone

13th century

stone Synonyms

Synonyms

edge, grind, hone, sharpen, strop, whet

Antonyms

blunt, dull

Related Words

file

Near Antonyms

buff, burnish, gloss, polish, round, smooth

stone

adverb

Definition of stone

:entirely, utterly —used as an intensive —often used in combination

stone-broke

stone-cold soup

stone-dead

See stone defined for English-language learners

Examples of stone in a Sentence

The soup was stone cold.

First Known Use of stone

13th century

stone

adjective

Definition of stone

1 :of, relating to, or made of stone

2 :absolute, utter

pure stone craziness
—Edwin Shrake

Examples of stone in a Sentence

the stone stupidity of the senator's statements embarrassed even her staffers

Recent Examples of stone from the Web

Stone tools, animal bones and evidence of fire were also found within the same layer at the site.

— ashley strickland, CNN, "Oldest Homo sapiens fossils discovered," 7 June 2017
Like an aging diva who knows how to present her best side, Café Roval requires diners to walk down a narrow, stone side path to enter through a lush garden with a waterfall and rock-rimmed pond.

— jodi mailander farrell, miamiherald, "The place is fascinating. The food, standard fare," 18 May 2017

First Known Use of stone

14th century

stone Synonyms

Stone

play

biographical name \ ˈstōn \

Definition of Stone

Harlan Fiske 1872–1946 American jurist; chief justice U.S. Supreme Court (1941–46)

Stone

biographical name

Definition of Stone

Irving 1903–1989 originally surname Tennenbaum American writer

Stone

biographical name

Definition of Stone

Lucy 1818–1893 American suffragist

STONE Defined for English Language Learners

stone

play

noun

Definition of stone for English Language Learners

: a hard substance that comes from the ground and is used for building, carving, etc.
: a small piece of rock
: a piece of rock used for a particular purpose

stone

verb

Definition of stone for English Language Learners

: to throw stones at (someone or something)
: to kill (someone) by throwing stones
: to remove the hard, large seed of (a fruit)

stone

adverb

Definition of stone for English Language Learners

: totally or completely

STONE Defined for Kids

stone

play

noun \ ˈstōn \

Definition of stone for Students

1 :earth or mineral matter hardened in a mass :rock

2 :a piece of rock coarser than gravel

Don't throw stones.

3 :gem 1

4 :a stony mass that sometimes forms in certain organs of the body

a kidney stone

5 :the seed of a fruit (as a peach) in its hard case

6 plural usually stone :an English measure of weight equaling 14 pounds (about 6.3 kilograms)

stone

verb

Definition of stone for Students

stoned; stoning

1 :to throw stones at

2 :to remove the stony seeds of

stone cherries

stone

adjective

Definition of stone for Students

:relating to or made of stone

a stone wall

stone

adverb

Definition of stone for Students

:completely, totally

The soup was stone- cold.

Medical Dictionary

stone

play

noun \ ˈstōn \

medical Definition of stone

1 :calculus 1

2 plural usually stone :any of various units of weight; especially :an official British unit equal to 14 pounds (6.3 kilograms)

Learn More about stone

See words that rhyme with stone Thesaurus: All synonyms and antonyms for stone Spanish Central: Translation of stone Nglish: Translation of stone for Spanish speakers Britannica English: Translation of stone for Arabic speakers Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about stone

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stone

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stone

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STONE Defined for English Language Learners

stone

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stone

Definition of stone for English Language Learners

stone

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STONE Defined for Kids

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stone

Definition of stone for Students

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Definition of stone for Students

stone

Definition of stone for Students

Medical Dictionary

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medical Definition of stone

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