rock hound

See also: rockhound

English

Etymology

In use by 1910s (see Citations). Originally a playful term for geologists employed in the early days of the oil industry - other similar names included "sand smeller",[1] "oil witch", "wrinkle chaser", "pebble pup".[2] The intended parallel being the likeness of a geologist sniffing out - like a hound - something of value among the rocks. Term popularized perhaps by a 1921 story published in Cosmopolitan titled The Rockhound.[3]

Pronunciation

  • Audio (General Australian):(file)

Noun

rock hound (plural rock hounds)

  1. (idiomatic) A person who collects rocks and minerals from the natural environment as a hobby.

Derived terms

Translations

References

  1. ^ Harper's Magazine‎[1], December 1921, page 529
  2. ^ The Encyclopaedia Britannica Co., London (1932) The Encyclopaedia Britannica Vol.17‎[2]
  3. ^ William MacHarg (January 1921) Cosmopolitan‎[3]
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