stony

English

Etymology

From Middle English stoni, stani, from Old English stāniġ, stǣniġ (“stony, rocky”), from Proto-Germanic *stainagaz (“stony”), equivalent to stone +‎ -y. Cognate with Scots stany (“stony”), West Frisian stienich (“stony”), Dutch stenig (“stony, metalled”), German steinig (“stony, rocky, gravelly”), Swedish stenig (“stony, rocky, pebbly”).

Pronunciation

• Rhymes: -əʊni

Adjective

stony (comparative stonier, superlative stoniest)

1. As hard as stone.
2. Containing or made up of stones.

   a stony path

3. (figuratively) Of a person, lacking warmth and emotion.
4. (figuratively) Of an action such as a look, showing no warmth of emotion.

   She gave him a stony reception.

Synonyms

• (hard as stone): as hard as iron, as hard as a rock, rock-hard
• (containing stones): pebbly, rocky, shingly
• (of a person): cold, cool, hard-hearted, heartless, impassive, unemotional, unfeeling
• (of an action): cold, cool, frosty, unwelcoming

Antonyms

• (hard as stone): soft
• (of a person): passionate, warm
• (of an action): warm, welcoming

Translations

hard as stone

• Polish: kamienny (pl) m

containing stones

• Danish: stenet (da)
• German: steinern (de)
• Icelandic: grýttur (is)

• Luxembourgish: stengeg (lb)
• Old Norse: grjót
• Polish: kamienisty (pl) m

of a person

• French: froid (fr), sec (fr)

of an action

Derived terms

• stoniness
• stony-faced

Anagrams

• Tonys
• Tyson