hunger stone
English
/ˈhʌŋɡə ˌstəʊn/, /ˈhʌŋɡɚ ˌstoʊn/
noun
Definitions
- 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.
Etymology
Derived from Proto-Indo-European *kenk- (hunger, desire, burn, thirst, smart, dry, pain), *steyh₂- (stiffen, something hard, thicken), *kenk- (hunger, desire, burn, thirst, smart, dry, pain).
Origin
Proto-Indo-European
*kenk-
Gloss
hunger, desire, burn, thirst, smart, dry, pain
Concept
Semantic Field
Food and drink
Ontological Category
Person/Thing
Kanji
痛