noun · 1 senses · updated from the 2026-07-25 local source snapshot
Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.
Sound
Pronunciation
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Received-Pronunciation:/ˈhʌŋɡə ˌstəʊn/
Southern-England:Recorded audio is listed in the source snapshot.
General-American:/ˈhʌŋɡɚ ˌstoʊn/
1
noun
Meaning 1
A stone, either naturally exposed or intentionally embedded in a river during a drought, which is dated and often inscribed to mark the water level as a warning to future generations that they may face famine if the water reaches that low level again. Such stones are common in Central Europe.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
History
Etymology
Calque of German Hungerstein, from Hunger (“hunger”) + Stein (“rock, stone”).
Across languages
Translations
9 source translations are retained for this English entry.
Dutch:
hongersteen
— stone in a river visible during a drought, marking the water level as a warning of famine if the water reaches that low level again
Finnish:
nälkäkivi
— stone in a river visible during a drought, marking the water level as a warning of famine if the water reaches that low level again
French:
pierre de la faim
— stone in a river visible during a drought, marking the water level as a warning of famine if the water reaches that low level again
German:
Hungerstein
— stone in a river visible during a drought, marking the water level as a warning of famine if the water reaches that low level again
Italian:
pietra della fame
— stone in a river visible during a drought, marking the water level as a warning of famine if the water reaches that low level again
Polish:
kamień głodowy
— stone in a river visible during a drought, marking the water level as a warning of famine if the water reaches that low level again
Polish:
kamień głodu
— stone in a river visible during a drought, marking the water level as a warning of famine if the water reaches that low level again
Spanish:
piedra del hambre
— stone in a river visible during a drought, marking the water level as a warning of famine if the water reaches that low level again
Swedish:
hungersten
— stone in a river visible during a drought, marking the water level as a warning of famine if the water reaches that low level again
