German

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Etymology

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From Middle High German gesteine, from Old High German gisteini, a collective formation equivalent to ge- +‎ Stein.

Pronunciation

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  • IPA(key): /ɡəˈʃtaɪ̯n/
  • Audio:(file)
  • Rhymes: -aɪ̯n

Noun

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Gestein n (strong, genitive Gesteines or Gesteins, plural Gesteine)

  1. rock, mass of stone, especially as part of the crust of the earth
    Synonym: Fels
    • 2010, Der Spiegel[1], number 35/2010, page 96:
      Viele Gewässer sind mit Quecksilber belastet, das die Goldsucher einsetzen, um das Metall vom Gestein zu lösen.
      Many waters are polluted with mercury, which is used by gold diggers to separate the metal from the rock.

Usage notes

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  • The plural refers to different kinds of rock.

Declension

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Derived terms

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Further reading

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