pebble

1 of 2

noun

peb·​ble ˈpe-bəl 

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

pebbly

ˈpe-b(ə-)lē 

adjective

pebble

2 of 2

verb

pebbled; pebbling 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

Examples of pebble in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Noun

The walls and floor have flecked Venetian terrazzo tiles made with marble pebbles, while at the heart of the room there is a wooden counter inspired by the crates once used to transport premium wools hailing from various continents. —Samantha Conti, WWD, 5 Nov. 2024

A couple of votes in Congress or a presidential proclamation on a Thursday afternoon amount to nothing more than tiny pebbles tossed into a large ocean. —Wayne Cantwell, Forbes, 29 Oct. 2024

Verb

Stars like Jennifer Lawrence and Jessica Alba are swapping out their smooth canvas and pebbled leather bags for purses with textured details. —Melissa Epifano, Peoplemag, 28 July 2024

There can be many pros to this and experts say parents can also benefit from engaging in some pebbling with their kids. —Kristina Behr, Parents, 25 June 2024

Word History

Etymology

Noun

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

First Known Use

Noun

before the 12th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Verb

1605, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Kids Definition

pebble

1 of 2 noun

peb·​ble ˈpeb-əl 

1

: a small rounded stone

2

: an uneven, wrinkled, or grainy surface

pebblelike

-əl-ˌ(l)īk

adjective

pebbly

-(ə-)lē 

adjective

pebble

2 of 2 verb

pebbled; pebbling ˈpeb-(ə-)liŋ 

: to produce an uneven, wrinkled, or grainy surface on