pebble

play

noun peb·ble \ ˈpe-bəl \

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

See pebble defined for English-language learners

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Recent Examples of pebble from the Web

Our little island and our little policies are like throwing a pebble in the ocean.

— vann r. newkirk ii, The Atlantic, "What Health Reform Means to the American Territories," 26 Aug. 2017
The uncut semi-clear pebble-sized stone is about width of a dainty pinky finger.

— ed fletcher, sacbee, "Woman goes hunting for gold. Finds a diamond," 17 Aug. 2017
Add the butter cubes and mix until the butter is the size small pebbles throughout the flour.

— ellise pierce, star-telegram, "These French-inspired desserts are deliciously simple," 14 Aug. 2017
Although the cereal didn’t make the beer particularly colorful, the flavor was unmistakable—bright and crisp upfront, with the Fruity Pebbles coming through as a sweetness on the finish.

— kenny gould, Bon Appetit, "6 Beers Made with Cereal—Not a Part of Your Complete Breakfast," 26 July 2017
Seasonings and sides—such as the sangak, an Iranian pebble bread—are inspired in part by Michail’s Iranian heritage and trips to Israel and Turkey.

— marielle wakim, Los Angeles Magazine, "Best of LA: 92 of Our Favorite Things to Eat, Do, and Buy Right Now," 14 July 2017
Semel added dogs running loose have also destroyed common tern nests, which are built atop the sand with a few sticks and some pebbles.

— sheryl devore, Lake County News-Sun, "Waukegan, IDNR hoping to protect endangered terns found nesting at Municipal Beach," 3 July 2017
Set to arrive in August 2018, the spacecraft will orbit the asteroid, studying it for two years before scooping up a sample of dust and pebbles that will return to Earth in 2023.

— nola taylor redd space.com contributor, Fox News, "Asteroid Day rocks: Here are some of the cool events happening worldwide," 30 June 2017
Sowbhagyamma is one of dozens of women working under the scorching sun every day to clear weeds, mud, and pebbles from a 6.5-acre plot in the Mandya District of southern Karnataka state, India.

— raksha kumar, The Christian Science Monitor, "Women take southern India's drought into their own hands – one shovel at a time," 29 June 2017

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.

Origin and Etymology of pebble

Middle English pobble, from Old English papolstān, from papol- (of unknown origin) + stān stone

NEW! Time Traveler

First Known Use: before 12th century

See Words from the same year

Other Geology Terms

anthracite, boulder, cwm, erratic, igneous, intrusive, mesa, sedimentary, silt, swale

pebble

verb

Definition of pebble

pebbled; pebbling play \ˈpe-b(ə-)liŋ\

transitive verb

1 :to pelt with pebbles

2 :to pave or cover with pebbles or something resembling pebbles

3 :to grain (a material, such as leather) so as to produce a rough and irregularly indented surface

First Known Use of pebble

1605

PEBBLE Defined for English Language Learners

pebble

play

noun

Definition of pebble for English Language Learners

: a small, round stone; especially : one that has been made smooth by the movement of water

PEBBLE Defined for Kids

pebble

play

noun peb·ble \ ˈpe-bəl \

Definition of pebble for Students

:a small rounded stone

Learn More about pebble

See words that rhyme with pebble Spanish Central: Translation of pebble Nglish: Translation of pebble for Spanish speakers Britannica English: Translation of pebble for Arabic speakers Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about pebble

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pebble

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