pebble

noun peb·ble \ ˈpe-bəl \

Updated on: 12 Apr 2018

Definition of pebble

1 : a small usually rounded stone especially when worn by the action of water

2 : transparent and colorless quartz : rock crystal

3 : an irregular, crinkled, or grainy surface

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pebbly

play \ˈpe-b(ə-)lē\ adjective

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Recent Examples of pebble from the Web

The brand is known for its use of unorthodox materials, from earrings made of pebbles and sapphires to bracelets formed from moonstone, aluminum, and nutwood.

— rebecca ramsey, The Cut, "These Hemmerle Earrings Offer a Sweet Optical Illusion," 5 Apr. 2018
Its soils range from basalt pebbles and pumice to black ash.

— Bloomberg.com, "Volcanic Wines Are Heating Up Around the Globe," 30 Mar. 2018
Working with Ryan Diamond of The Backyard nursery in Costa Mesa, the couple removed the lawn and parking strip, added a decomposed granite path framed by sunset pebbles, and planted hardy plants from Australia, South Africa and California.

— lisa boone, latimes.com, "They swapped their Newport Beach lawn for a lush, low-water landscape," 29 Mar. 2018
And maybe this is the real ground zero for the women-in-power revolution, the gathering of pebbles that will become a mountain.

— Washington Post, "The women-in-power revolution: In state legislatures, #TimesUp, guys," 11 Jan. 2018
Pulse the nuts in a mini food processor or mini chopper to the consistency of very small pebbles — but not as fine as sand.

— lindsay carlton, Fox News, "4 foods you may not realize are superfoods," 14 Mar. 2018
Partly that's because the river carried great heaps of quartzite rocks and pebbles to the area.

— annalee newitz, Ars Technica, "Ancient tools found in India undermine the “out of Africa” hypothesis," 31 Jan. 2018
To ensure proper drainage, place a layer of pebbles and activated charcoal in the bottom of your container before filling it with potting soil; then let the soil dry out a bit between waterings.

— country living staff, Country Living, "17 of the Best Indoor Plants to Make Your Home Feel Unique," 6 Mar. 2018
The Apollo collection consists of lunar rocks, core samples, pebbles, sand and dust from the lunar surface.

— leonard david, Scientific American, "Should We Open Some Sealed Moon Samples?," 5 Mar. 2018

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'pebble.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.