Link Centre Dictionary

rocky

UK/ˈɹɒki/ US/ˈɹʷɒki/ common informal slang

adjective

1.

abounding in rocks or stones

  • “rocky fields”
  • “stony ground”
  • “bouldery beaches”
Synonyms
Similar
2.

liable to rock

  • “on high rocky heels”
Similar
3.

full of hardship or trials

  • “the rocky road to success”
  • “they were having a rough time”
Synonyms
Similar

Origin

From Middle English rokki, rokky (“rocky”), from rok, rokke (“rock; a rock or stone; large rock by a coast or in the sea; rocky outcrop on a mountain, cliff; castle, citadel, stronghold”) [and other forms] + -i (suffix forming adjectives). Rok, rokke are derived from: * Old English *rocc (“rock”); and * Anglo-Norman roc, roce, roque, and Old French roce, roke, roque, variants of roche (“rock”); both from Medieval Latin roca, rocca; further etymology uncertain, possibly of Celtic origin. The English word is analysable as rock + -y (suffix forming adjectives meaning ‘having the quality of’).

Phrases

  • rocking chair
  • rocking horse
  • Rocky Creek
  • Rocky Face
  • Rocky Ford
  • Rocky Glen
  • Rocky Hall
  • Rocky Hill
  • Rocky Mount
  • Rocky Mountain

Related words

Word family

WordNet 2.1 (Princeton University). Wiktionary (CC BY-SA). CMU Pronouncing Dictionary. WordNet 2.1 Copyright Princeton University. All rights reserved. Wiktionary content is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike Licence.