living stone

noun

plural living stones
: any of a genus (Lithops of the family Aizoaceae) of very small, stemless, succulent plants of southern Africa that typically have a pair of thickened leaves forming a stonelike body with a slit on top from which a usually solitary, sessile flower emerges : lithops
Living stones, named for their rocky appearance, bury the bulk of their leaves underground, taking a dive for shade.Mary Hoff

Word History

First Known Use

1930, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of living stone was in 1930

Dictionary Entries Near living stone

Livingston

living stone

Livingstone

Cite this Entry

“Living stone.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/living%20stone. Accessed 7 Nov. 2024.

Geographical Definition

Livingstone

geographical name

Liv·​ing·​stone ˈli-viŋ-stən How to pronounce Livingstone (audio)
city on the Zambezi River in southern Zambia population 134,000

Biographical Definition

Livingstone

biographical name

Liv·​ing·​stone ˈli-viŋ-stən How to pronounce Livingstone (audio)
David 1813–1873 Scottish missionary and explorer in Africa
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