stink stone: meaning, definition, pronunciation and examples
Very LowHighly Technical / Obsolete
Quick answer
What does “stink stone” mean?
A rock, often limestone or shale, that emits a foul, sulphurous or rotten-egg smell when struck or rubbed.
Audio
Pronunciation
Definition
Meaning and Definition
A rock, often limestone or shale, that emits a foul, sulphurous or rotten-egg smell when struck or rubbed.
A type of fetid stone historically used in folklore or sometimes associated with alchemical or mineralogical curiosities.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
No significant regional difference in meaning. The term is obsolete in both technical and common use.
Connotations
Purely descriptive of a physical property; carries no modern cultural or evaluative connotations.
Frequency
Extremely rare in contemporary discourse. Primarily found in historical geology texts or collections of archaic terminology.
Grammar
How to Use “stink stone” in a Sentence
The [noun] is a stink stone.He identified the mineral as a stink stone.When struck, the rock proved to be a stink stone.Vocabulary
Collocations
Examples
Examples of “stink stone” in a Sentence
verb
British English
- The specimen did not stink stone.
- This rock won't stink stone.
American English
- The shale didn't stink stone.
- Does it stink stone?
adverb
British English
- N/A
- N/A
American English
- N/A
- N/A
adjective
British English
- N/A (The term is a noun compound).
- N/A
American English
- N/A (The term is a noun compound).
- N/A
Usage
Meaning in Context
Business
Not used.
Academic
Might appear in historical geology papers or studies of archaic mineralogical terminology.
Everyday
Virtually never used.
Technical
Obsolete technical term for a fetid variety of limestone or other stone containing bituminous matter.
Vocabulary
Synonyms of “stink stone”
Strong
Neutral
Weak
Vocabulary
Antonyms of “stink stone”
Watch out
Common Mistakes When Using “stink stone”
- Using it as a general insult (e.g., 'You stink stone!').
- Assuming it is a modern, standard geological term.
- Confusing it with 'fool's gold' (pyrite) which is visually metallic, not necessarily odorous.
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
No, it is an archaic or historical term. Modern geology would use more precise mineralogical names, possibly describing the rock as a 'fetid limestone' or noting its hydrogen sulphide content.
It would be very unusual and likely confusing. The term has no place in modern everyday English.
The odour is typically due to the release of hydrogen sulphide gas or the presence of decaying organic (bituminous) material within the stone when it is fractured.
The most direct historical synonym is 'swinestone'. In other languages, terms like 'Stinkstein' (German) were used. Modern descriptions would simply call it a smelly or fetid rock/limestone.
A rock, often limestone or shale, that emits a foul, sulphurous or rotten-egg smell when struck or rubbed.
Stink stone is usually highly technical / obsolete in register.
Stink stone: in British English it is pronounced /ˈstɪŋk ˌstəʊn/, and in American English it is pronounced /ˈstɪŋk ˌstoʊn/. Tap the audio buttons above to hear it.
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “None (term is too specific and archaic).”
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Imagine a STONE you accidentally kick – it makes a STINK like rotten eggs. STINK + STONE.
Conceptual Metaphor
PROPERTY FOR OBJECT (The salient property 'stink' defines the entire object 'stone').
Practice
Quiz
What is the primary reason 'stink stone' is not a useful term for modern learners?