rocky English · revision 7263
16 Oct 2026, 13:23 by bogdan “en10k b0298: sometime … par” current version
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+ English has two adjectives spelled rocky: one meaning full of rocks, from rock, stone, and one meaning unsteady, from rock, to sway.^(Etymonline)^(MWU 2024)^(SOED 2002)
+
+ ==Pronunciation==
+ * IPA: /ˈɹɒki/; /ˈɹɑki/ ''(US)''^(Wiktionary)
+
+ {{homograph|1|full of rocks}}
+
+ {{infobox|confidence=established|formation=derivation|attested=15th century}}
+
+ ==Etymology==
+ It is Middle English rokky, formed from rokke, [[rock]], and [[-y]].^(Etymonline)^(MWU 2024)^(SOED 2002) Earlier Middle English had rochi (about 1300), from French roche.^(Etymonline)
+
+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==
+ Full of rocks, consisting of rock: the 15th century in the OED and MWU, the late 15th century in Etymonline.^(OED 1989)^(MWU 2024)^(Etymonline)
+
+ ==Semantic evolution==
+ Of the heart, flinty or unfeeling, is from before 1586, and firm as a rock, steadfast, from 1622.^(OED 1989) The Rocky Mountains were so called by 1802, translating French Montagnes Rocheuses, first used of the Canadian Rockies;^(Etymonline)^(OED 1989) according to Room, the name is an approximate translation of that of the Assiniboine people, whom the Cree called ''stone Sioux''.^(Etymonline) ''The Rockies'' is from 1827.^(OED 1989)
+
+ ==Timeline==
+ * c. 1300 – rochi.^(Etymonline)
+ * 15th century – rokky, full of rocks.^(OED 1989)
+ * 1622 – steadfast.^(OED 1989)
+ * 1802 – Rocky Mountains.^(Etymonline)^(OED 1989)
+
+ ==Modern meaning==
+ ===Adjective===
+ # Consisting of or full of [[rock|alt=rocks]].^(AHD)^(COED 2004)
+ # Like rock; firm or hard.^(AHD)^(COED 2004)
+
+ ==Word family==
+ * [[rockiness]]
+
+ {{homograph|2|unsteady}}
+
+ {{infobox|confidence=established|formation=derivation|attested=1737}}
+
+ ==Etymology==
+ It is formed from the verb [[rock]], to sway, and [[-y]].^(Etymonline)^(MWU 2024)^(SOED 2002)
+
+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==
+ Unsteady, tottering: 1737.^(Etymonline)^(MWU 2024)^(SOED 2002)
+
+ ==Semantic evolution==
+ Difficult or hard, as in ''a rocky start'', is recorded from 1873 and may represent a bit of both words.^(Etymonline) SOED notes that this sense is sometimes interpreted as a figurative use of rocky, full of rocks.^(SOED 2002) Feeling weak or unwell is a colloquial use.^(AHD)^(COED 2004)
+
+ ==Timeline==
+ * 1737 – unsteady.^(Etymonline)
+ * 1873 – difficult.^(Etymonline)
+
+ ==Modern meaning==
+ ===Adjective===
+ # Unsteady or likely to fail: ''a rocky marriage''.^(AHD)^(COED 2004)
+ # ''(informal)'' Weak or dizzy; unwell.^(AHD)^(COED 2004)
+
+ ==Related words==
+ * [[rock]]
+ * [[Rockies]]
+
+ ==References==
+ {{reflist}}