What the difference between: a rock and a stone?

Question

When somebody talks about a rock that means a big one?

Answer 1

Piedras and rocas have the same meaning in spanish.

We can say "el camino es pedregoso", (stony) and we can say the same by using "El camino es rocoso" (rocky).

Answer 2

Well, in New Hampshire where I come from, we call everything rocks. NH is filled with lots of glacially deposited rocks, and even small rocks are rocks. "Stone" is used as an adjective to describe the material something is made of, for example: "Add that rock to the stone wall". Rock is also a technical term in Geology to refer a mixture of minerals, for example, granite is a rock. "Stone" is traditionally used to translate certain Bible passages, such as "he who is innocent throw the first stone".

Dictionaries do suggest that rock should be used for larger objects than stone, but that must depend on dialect.

Answer 3

If it is a very large rock you are asking about, in English we say "boulder" for that specific instance, somewhat similar to "roca" in Spanish (?)... but rock and stone are quite interchangeable and have been so for as long as I can recall....

Interchangeable on their own. I've never heard of a rockmason; a stonemason yes. A rock hound yes, a stone hound no. - 0074b507, Feb 22, 2011

Well, if you are going to qualify it by forming compound words, you have a point, but just in simple sentences, standing alone, they are almost always interchangeable, yes. ;o) - cristalino, Feb 22, 2011

Is that anything like a "rocker" and a "stoner? - pacofinkler, Feb 23, 2011

Answer 4

Technically they have different meanings, but at least where I live they're usually used interchangeably. "Stone" sort of has a more refined meaning though - "rock" has a rougher connotation.

I second this, we have the phrases "beach stone" and "polished stone" in NH - wingedsubmariner, Feb 22, 2011

Answer 5

According to Merriam-Webster's Online dictionary: Rock: a large mass of stone forming a cliff, promontory, or peak Stone: a concretion of earthy or mineral matter: (1): such a concretion of indeterminate size or shape.