Grindstone
/ˈɡraɪnd.stoʊn/noun
A hard stone used for sharpening tools or crushing materials.
Did you know?Grindstone is a straightforward compound, but its first element goes back to a Germanic root meaning “to crush or grind,” the same ancient root behind words for grinding, milling, and pulverizing across the family.
Etymological Timeline
Proto-Germanic
PGmc
*grindaną
“to grind, crush, reduce to particles”
Old English
OE
grindan
“to grind, rub down, sharpen”
Old English
OE
stān
“stone; rock”
Middle English
ME
grindstoon
“a stone used for grinding or sharpening”
Modern English
English
grindstone
“a rotating stone used for sharpening or shaping tools”