Min. [f. STINK sb. + STONE sb. After G. stinkstein, which is sometimes used in Eng.] A name given to various limestones which give out a fetid odor on being scratched or struck.
1804. R. Jameson, Min., I. 521. Stink Stone…. Colour is wood brown.
1823. W. Phillips, Introd. Min. (ed. 3), 156. Swinestone, or Stinkstone,… gives out a strong fetid odour when scraped.
[1856. Page, Adv. Text-bk. Geol., xii. 241. Others, when rubbed … emit a highly fetid odour, and are well known as ‘stinksteins’ and ‘swinestones.’]
1859. Bartlett, Dict. Amer. (ed. 2), 451. Stinkstone, swinestone, a variety of carbonate of lime, which emits a fetid odor on being struck.
