freestone

See also: Freestone and free-stone

English

Etymology

free +‎ stone

Pronunciation

• (Received Pronunciation) IPA^(key): /ˈfɹiːstəʊn/
• (US) IPA^(key): /ˈfɹiːstoʊn/

• Audio (US)

  (file)

Noun

freestone (countable and uncountable, plural freestones)

1. A type of stone that is composed of small particles and easily shaped, such as sandstone or limestone.
   • 1749, Henry Fielding, The History of Tom Jones, a Foundling

     Mr Allworthy […] died immensely rich and built an hospital […] but had he done nothing more I should have left him to have recorded his own merit on some fair freestone over the door of that hospital.

2. (countable) A stone fruit having a stone (pit) that is relatively free of the flesh.

Coordinate terms

• (stone fruit): clingstone