rocky

• (Received Pronunciation) enPR: rŏk'i, IPA^(key): /ˈɹɒki/, [ˈɹʷɒki]
• (General American) IPA^(key): /ˈɹɑki/, [ˈɹʷɑki]

• Audio (Midwestern US):

  (file)

• (General Australian) IPA^(key): /ˈɹɔki/, [ˈɹʷɔki]
• Rhymes: -ɒki

From Middle English rokki, rokky (“rocky”),^[1] from rok, rokke (“rock; a rock or stone; large rock by a coast or in the sea; rocky outcrop on a mountain, cliff; castle, citadel, stronghold”) [and other forms]^[2] + -i (suffix forming adjectives).^[3] Rok, rokke are derived from:

• Old English *rocc (“rock”); and
• Anglo-Norman roc, roce, roque, and Old French roce, roke, roque, variants of roche (“rock”);

both from Medieval Latin roca, rocca; further etymology uncertain, possibly of Celtic origin. The English word is analysable as rock +‎ -y (suffix forming adjectives meaning ‘having the quality of’).^[4][5]

rocky (comparative rockier or more rocky, superlative rockiest or most rocky)

1. Abounding in, or full of, rocks; consisting of rocks.

   a rocky mountain    a rocky shore

2. Like a rock; rigid, solid.

   Synonyms: flinty; rocklike, rock-like; stonelike

3. (Of an animal or plant) Having a habitat around or on rocks.
4. (figuratively, archaic) Not easily affected or impressed; stony; hard; obdurate; unfeeling.

   to have a rocky heart

From rock (“to move back and forth”) +‎ -y (suffix forming adjectives meaning ‘having the quality of’).^[5][6] Rock is derived from Middle English rokken (“to move (something, such as a cradle) back and forth; to move or sway back and forth in an unstable manner; to go”) […],^[7] from Old English roccian (“to rock”), from Proto-Germanic *rukkōną (“to move; to move back and forth, rock”), ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *h₃rewk- (“to dig; to till (soil)”).

rocky (comparative rockier or more rocky, superlative rockiest or most rocky)

1. Easily rocked; unstable.

   Synonyms: tottering, wobbly

   The table was rocky, so we put a book under one leg.

2. (figuratively)
   1. Encountering many problems; difficult, troubled; also, in danger or distress.

      (encountering many problems): Synonyms: hard, tough; see also Thesaurus:difficult

      (in danger): Synonyms: unsteady; see also Thesaurus:unsteady

      Their relationship had weathered some rocky times, but they loved each other.

   2. (originally US) Of a person: ill, or unsteady (for example, as a result of a shock).

      Synonyms: shaky, unnerved, weakened

• rockily
• rockiness
• rocking chair
• rocking horse

From rock (“rock and roll music”) +‎ -y (suffix forming adjectives meaning ‘having the quality of’).^[5][8]

rocky (comparative rockier or more rocky, superlative rockiest or most rocky)

1. In the style of rock music.

   Synonyms: rockish; rockesque; rocklike, rock-like

   His new album is quite rocky.

• rock (geology) on Wikipedia.Wikipedia
• rock music on Wikipedia.Wikipedia
• Rocky (disambiguation) on Wikipedia.Wikipedia

• corky