Rosetta stone

Save This Word!

noun

a stone slab, found in 1799 near Rosetta, bearing parallel inscriptions in Greek, Egyptian hieroglyphic, and demotic characters, making possible the decipherment of ancient Egyptian hieroglyphics.

a clue, breakthrough, or discovery that provides crucial knowledge for the solving of a puzzle or problem.

QUIZ

CAN YOU ANSWER THESE COMMON GRAMMAR DEBATES?

There are grammar debates that never die; and the ones highlighted in the questions in this quiz are sure to rile everyone up once again. Do you know how to answer the questions that cause some of the greatest grammar debates?

Question 1 of 7

Which sentence is correct?

His boss, whom he admires, is waiting to meet with him about the big project.

His boss, who he admires, is waiting to meet with him about the big project.

TAKE THE QUIZ TO FIND OUT

Words nearby Rosetta stone

Roses, Wars of the, roset, rose-tinted, rose topaz, Rosetta, Rosetta stone, rosette, Roseville, Rosewall, rose water, rose weevil

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

How to use Rosetta stone in a sentence

Clearly, someone in the Lavigne camp figured out that remixing Rosetta Stone with an EDM beat would result in an insta-classic.
Avril Lavigne’s Dumb ‘Hello Kitty’ Video Is Rife with Cultural Appropriation|Amy Zimmerman|April 25, 2014|DAILY BEAST
And to those who have ever attempted to practice the art, it is the Rosetta Stone of political humor.
'Ask Not' Who Wrote JFK's Best Lines|Mark Katz|November 1, 2010|DAILY BEAST
In 1821 came the decipherment of the Rosetta Stone by Champollion, and this added a new zest to exploration and collecting.
Myths and Legends of Ancient Egypt|Lewis Spence
In Egypt we have had the luck to stumble on a clew, the Rosetta Stone, which makes the ancient writing fairly clear.
The Great Events by Famous Historians, Vol. 1|Various

That had become a language to which he had found the Rosetta Stone; it was as plain to him now as Roman text.
The Bondboy|George W. (George Washington) Ogden
This strong similitude,—as a Rosetta-stone,—led us to the first translation of the Architectural wonders.
The History of Ancient America, Anterior to the Time of Columbus|George Jones
Almost as interesting as the Rosetta Stone itself is the story of its discovery.
The Great Events by Famous Historians, Vol. 1|Various

British Dictionary definitions for Rosetta stone

Rosetta stone

noun

a basalt slab discovered in 1799 at Rosetta, dating to the reign of Ptolemy V (196 bc) and carved with parallel inscriptions in Egyptian hieroglyphics, demotic characters, and Greek, which provided the key to the decipherment of ancient Egyptian texts

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Cultural definitions for Rosetta stone

Rosetta stone

A stone discovered in Egypt (see also Egypt) in the late eighteenth century, inscribed with ancient Egyptian hieroglyphics and a translation of them in Greek. The stone proved to be the key to understanding Egyptian writing.

notes for Rosetta stone

A “Rosetta stone” is the key to understanding a complex problem.