freestone

American  

[free-stohn] / ˈfriˌstoʊn /

noun

1. a fruit having a stone to which the flesh does not cling, as certain peaches and plums.

2. the stone itself.

3. any stone, as sandstone, that can be freely worked or quarried, especially one that cuts well in all directions without splitting.

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adjective

1. having a stone from which the flesh is easily separated.

freestone British  

/ ˈfriːˌstəʊn /

noun

1. 1. any fine-grained stone, esp sandstone or limestone, that can be cut and worked in any direction without breaking

   2. ( as modifier )

      a freestone house

2. botany

   1. a fruit, such as a peach, in which the flesh separates readily from the stone

   2. ( as modifier ) Compare clingstone

      a freestone peach

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Etymology

Origin of freestone

1250–1300; Middle English freston ( free, stone ); translation of Old French franche piere; frank ¹

Example Sentences

One of two overarching classifications, freestone peaches are the most widely available.

From Salon • Sep. 4, 2021

The common legend is that the freestone fruits came along with a wave of Italian immigrants in the early 1900s.

From Seattle Times • Aug. 10, 2021

The evenly grained Aquia sandstone is known as a freestone because it can be freely cut and chiseled in any direction without shattering or splitting.

From Washington Post • Apr. 1, 2021

Among them is the Red Haven, a midseason selection popular with farmers because it is a freestone peach, one with a pit that does not stick to the surrounding flesh.

From New York Times • Jul. 18, 2014

Passing straight on we reach a handsome edifice of polished freestone, directly in front of us, and standing alone, which is nothing less than the Hunterian museum.

From The Genius of Scotland or Sketches of Scottish Scenery, Literature and Religion by Turnbull, Robert