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rocky

rocky

63 1.0
Land that has many rocks or stones
  • adjective
  • /ˈrɑːki/
translation icon : rocoso
  • The hikers struggled to find a path through the rocky terrain of the mountain.
  • a rocky shore
  • a rocky beach
  • rocky terrain

How do you detect phosphine on a faraway thing, rocky thing, rocky planet?

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Examples

  • I went down to it and walked out upon the rocky neck to the gazebo's door.

    Fiction book (1990)
  • Using sonar, schools of fish were located over rocky habitats at depths less than 50 m.

    Academic text (1998)
  • Was the ground rocky or flat?

  • Dig deep into this ancient, rocky heart.

  • You see, the land is rocky and yields barely enough to feed ourselves.

  • For example, it may own rocky, un-farmable land, hoping oil might be found there in the future.

    Academic text (2017)
  • Many flowers and blossoms spring forth from the hard rocky soil.

  • Several meters of snow covered the island in November, and even the tops of rocky areas were snow-covered.

    Academic text (2008)
  • Some pilgrims climb barefoot up the rocky slopes as a form of penance.

    Academic text (1997)
  • Be careful while driving; the road is rocky and might damage your vehicle.

Synonyms

rugged
vsrocky
31 3.7

Land with a rough, uneven surface covered in rocks

simply states presence of stones without stressing roughness
stony
vsrocky
7 2.7

Ground that is full of rocks

means the same general condition but in plain, everyday terms
gravelly
vsrocky
1 3.9

Covered with many small stones that crunch underfoot

indicates stone cover broadly rather than focusing on very small pieces
rockbound
vsrocky
9.0

A place with many large stones or steep cliffs

covers any area with many stones rather than emphasizing cliffs
rock-ribbed
vsrocky
9.0

Land that has many steep rocky cliffs

refers more generally to being covered with stones without cliffs
rockish
vsrocky
7.3

Hard like stone in look or feel

means being covered with stones rather than only resembling them
bouldered
vsrocky
7.3

Having many large rocks on the surface

applies to any stone cover, not only large solitary masses
bouldery
vsrocky
7.8

A place that is covered with many large rounded rocks

is broader, including all stone sizes not only large masses
ledgy
vsrocky
8.8

Having many rocky ledges on a hill or slope

describes stone presence generally rather than ledge shaped features
rubbly
vsrocky
5.1

Covered with loose stones and broken pieces of rock

means covered with stones but not specifically loose fragments
shingly
vsrocky
8.5

A surface covered with small stones or pebbles

is the more general idea of being covered by stones of any size

Antonyms

797 1.0

Level and even without parts higher or lower

256 1.0

A surface that is even and not rough

Compounds

8 4.0

A difficult beginning to an activity or relationship

A large mountain range in western North America from Canada to northern New Mexico

rocky road
  • Informal
4 5.7

A time with many problems

A relationship that has frequent problems and disagreements

A wild sheep with big curved horns that lives in the mountains of western North America

A large park in northern Colorado with high mountains, lakes, and wild animals

A wild sheep with large curved horns that lives in western North American mountains

A serious disease from germs spread by tick bites that causes fever and a rash

7.4

A small freshwater fish that lives in rivers and lakes in western North America

7.4

A small ornamental shrub from western USA with sweet black, red, or yellow fruit

Rocky mountain pinon
  • Specialized
7.2

A small pine tree that grows on dry rocky slopes and makes nuts people can eat

A garden plant with pink or white flowers that attract bees

A small slow-growing pine tree from the Rocky Mountains that can live for thousands of years

A wild North American plant with pink flowers found in the Rocky Mountains

A large white mountain goat that lives on steep rocky cliffs

A small gray bird with a white head that lives in Rocky Mountain forests

Rocky-mountain maple
  • Specialized
7.0

A small maple tree from northwestern North America with shrubby growth and attractive leaves

How Rocky

bouldered
7.3
rocky
63 1.0
stony
7 2.7

Surface Forms

rocky positive
rockier comparative
rockiest superlative

Morphology

rocky = rock (transparent) = rock + y

Direct adjectival formation from the noun 'rock' meaning 'full of or characterised by rocks', which is a straightforward and regular derivation.

Etymology

Rocky comes from rock ('large stone') plus the ending -y ('full of'). So rocky literally means 'full of rocks', which is why we use it for places covered in stones.