An adjective meaning 'rock-like' or 'stony,' petrōdes appears exclusively in the Parable of the Sower and its explanation (Matt 13:5, 20; Mark 4:5, 16). It describes ground where a thin layer of earth sits atop a slab of rock—seed springs up quickly there but has no root depth and withers in the sun. The Spanish 'pedregoso,' French 'pierreux,' and German 'steinig' all confirm the consistent rendering across traditions. This is not ground scattered with loose stones but shallow soil over bedrock, a crucial agricultural distinction.