Pebble vs. Stone: Difference and Comparison
Edited by Muazma Batool — By Muneeza Rehman — Updated on September 26, 2023
A pebble is a small, smooth, rounded stone, typically found on beaches and riverbeds, while a stone is a general term for a hard, solid substance found in nature.
Difference Between Pebble and Stone
The words "pebble" and "stone" both pertain to naturally occurring solid materials, but they differentiate primarily in terms of size and context. A pebble refers to a very specific type of stone – one that is small, often smooth, and rounded, predominantly due to the natural weathering processes. Walking along a beach or riverbank, one might notice numerous pebbles underfoot, polished over time by the continuous action of water.
Muneeza Rehman
Sep 26, 2023
On the other hand, the term "stone" is much broader. While a pebble is undoubtedly a stone, not all stones can be classified as pebbles. Stones come in various sizes, shapes, and compositions. They can be massive, like boulders, or minute, like grains of sand. Stones are a fundamental component of the Earth's crust and have been utilized by humans for various purposes, from construction to tool-making, for millennia.
Muazma Batool
Sep 26, 2023
Furthermore, while the definition of a pebble emphasizes its smoothness and rounded nature, stones don't necessarily possess these attributes. Stones can be jagged, rough, flat, or of any other conceivable shape. The contexts in which these terms are used also differ. For example, in construction or landscaping, the term "stone" might be preferred, while "pebble" might be used more in decorative contexts or in geology when discussing specific sizes and types of sediment.
Muneeza Rehman
Sep 26, 2023
In essence, while all pebbles are stones, not all stones are pebbles. The distinction primarily hinges on size, shape, and context. A pebble's defining characteristic is its small size coupled with its smooth and rounded appearance, while a stone is a more encompassing term for hard substances of various sizes and shapes.
Jonathan
Sep 26, 2023
Pebble vs. Stone Comparison Chart
Definition
A small, smooth, rounded rock.
A hard, solid substance found in nature.
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Sep 26, 2023
Shape
Smooth and rounded due to natural weathering.
Can be of any shape - jagged, rounded, flat, etc.
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Sep 26, 2023
Typical Context
Often found on beaches and riverbeds.
Found everywhere, from mountains to valleys.
Olivia
Sep 26, 2023
Usage in Landscaping
Used for decorative purposes like pathways and gardens.
Used for various purposes, including construction.
Lucas
Sep 26, 2023
Pebble vs. Stone Definitions
◉Pebble
A tiny stone used for decorative purposes.
The aquarium had blue pebbles at the bottom.
Lucas
Sep 26, 2023
◉Stone
A hard, solid non-metallic mineral substance.
The monument was built of large stones.
Muazma Batool
Sep 26, 2023
◉Pebble
A small, rounded stone, especially one worn smooth by the action of water.
She collected colorful pebbles from the beach.
Henry
Sep 26, 2023
◉Pebble
A tiny rock that can fit in the palm.
The pathway was lined with white pebbles.
Leo
Sep 26, 2023
◉Stone
Such concreted matter of a particular type. Often used in combination
sandstone.
soapstone.
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May 03, 2023
◉Stone
A piece of rock that is used in construction
a coping stone.
a paving stone.
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May 03, 2023
◉Pebble
(Geology) A rock fragment between 4 and 64 millimeters (0.16 and 2.51 inches) in diameter, especially one that has been naturally rounded.
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May 03, 2023
◉Pebble
To impart an irregularly rough, grainy surface to (leather or paper).
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May 03, 2023
◉Stone
Something, such as a hailstone, resembling a stone in shape or hardness.
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May 03, 2023
◉Stone
(Botany) The hard covering enclosing the seed in certain fruits, such as the cherry, plum, or peach.
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May 03, 2023
◉Stone
(Medicine) A mineral concretion in an organ, such as the kidney or gallbladder, or other body part; a calculus.
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May 03, 2023
◉Pebble
(geology) A particle from 4 to 64 mm in diameter, following the Wentworth scale.
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May 03, 2023
◉Stone
pl. stone Abbr. st. A unit of weight in Great Britain, 14 pounds (6.4 kilograms).
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May 03, 2023
◉Pebble
(curling) A small droplet of water intentionally sprayed on the ice that cause irregularities on the surface.
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May 03, 2023
◉Stone
(Printing) A table with a smooth surface on which page forms are composed.
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May 03, 2023
◉Pebble
To deposit water droplets on the ice.
to pebble the ice between games
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May 03, 2023
◉Pebble
(transitive) To give (leather) a rough appearance with small rounded prominences.
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May 03, 2023
◉Pebble
To place a pebble at (a vertex of a graph) according to certain rules; see pebble game.
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May 03, 2023
◉Pebble
A small roundish piece of stone; especially, a stone worn and rounded by the action of water; a pebblestone.
As children gathering pebbles on the shore.
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May 03, 2023
◉Pebble
Transparent and colorless rock crystal; as, Brazilian pebble; - so called by opticians.
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May 03, 2023
◉Pebble
To grain (leather) so as to produce a surface covered with small rounded prominences.
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May 03, 2023
◉Pebble
A minute stone polished by natural elements.
He skipped a flat pebble across the pond.
Olivia
Sep 26, 2023
◉Pebble
A stone that's smooth and often found in water-rich areas.
The riverbed was covered in smooth pebbles.
Henry
Sep 26, 2023
◉Stone
(British) A unit of mass equal to 14 pounds (≈6.3503 kilograms), formerly used for various commodities (wool, cheese, etc.), but now principally used for personal weight.
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May 03, 2023
◉Stone
(botany) The central part of some fruits, particularly drupes; consisting of the seed and a hard endocarp layer.
a peach stone
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May 03, 2023
◉Stone
(board games) A playing piece made of any hard material, used in various board games such as backgammon and go.
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May 03, 2023
◉Stone
(curling) A 42-pound, precisely shaped piece of granite with a handle attached, which is bowled down the ice.
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May 03, 2023
◉Stone
A stand or table with a smooth, flat top of stone, commonly marble, on which to arrange the pages of a book, newspaper, etc. before printing.
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May 03, 2023
◉Stone
(transitive) To pelt with stones, especially to kill by pelting with stones.
She got stoned to death after they found her.
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May 03, 2023
◉Stone
(intransitive) To form a stone during growth, with reference to fruit etc.
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May 03, 2023
◉Stone
To do nothing, to stare blankly into space and not pay attention when relaxing or when bored.
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May 03, 2023
◉Stone
(transitive) To lap with an abrasive stone to remove surface irregularities.
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May 03, 2023
◉Stone
(LGBT) Willing to give sexual pleasure but not to receive it.
stone butch; stone femme
pillow princess
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May 03, 2023
◉Stone
As a stone used with following adjective.
My father is stone deaf. This soup is stone cold.
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May 03, 2023
◉Stone
(slang) Absolutely, completely used with following adjectives.
I went stone crazy after she left.
I said the medication made my vision temporarily blurry, it did not make me stone blind.
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May 03, 2023
◉Stone
Concreted earthy or mineral matter; also, any particular mass of such matter; as, a house built of stone; the boy threw a stone; pebbles are rounded stones.
They had brick for stone, and slime . . . for mortar.
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May 03, 2023
◉Stone
The glass of a mirror; a mirror.
Lend me a looking-glass;If that her breath will mist or stain the stone,Why, then she lives.
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May 03, 2023
◉Stone
A calculous concretion, especially one in the kidneys or bladder; the disease arising from a calculus.
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May 03, 2023
◉Stone
A monument to the dead; a gravestone.
Should some relenting eyeGlance on the where our cold relics lie.
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May 03, 2023
◉Stone
The hard endocarp of drupes; as, the stone of a cherry or peach. See Illust. of Endocarp.
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May 03, 2023
◉Stone
A weight which legally is fourteen pounds, but in practice varies with the article weighed.
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May 03, 2023
◉Stone
Fig.: Symbol of hardness and insensibility; torpidness; insensibility; as, a heart of stone.
I have not yet forgot myself to stone.
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May 03, 2023
◉Stone
A stand or table with a smooth, flat top of stone, commonly marble, on which to arrange the pages of a book, newspaper, etc., before printing; - called also imposing stone.
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May 03, 2023
◉Stone
To pelt, beat, or kill with stones.
And they stoned Stephen, calling upon God, and saying, Lord Jesus, receive my spirit.
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May 03, 2023
◉Stone
To make like stone; to harden.
O perjured woman! thou dost stone my heart.
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May 03, 2023
◉Stone
To free from stones; also, to remove the seeds of; as, to stone a field; to stone cherries; to stone raisins.
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May 03, 2023
◉Stone
To wall or face with stones; to line or fortify with stones; as, to stone a well; to stone a cellar.
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May 03, 2023
◉Stone
a lump or mass of hard consolidated mineral matter;
he threw a rock at me
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May 03, 2023
◉Stone
material consisting of the aggregate of minerals like those making up the Earth's crust;
that mountain is solid rock
stone is abundant in New England and there are many quarries
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◉Stone
building material consisting of a piece of rock hewn in a definite shape for a special purpose;
he wanted a special stone to mark the site
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May 03, 2023
◉Stone
a crystalline rock that can be cut and polished for jewelry;
he had the gem set in a ring for his wife
she had jewels made of all the rarest stones
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May 03, 2023
◉Stone
the hard inner (usually woody) layer of the pericarp of some fruits (as peaches or plums or cherries or olives) that contains the seed;
you should remove the stones from prunes before cooking
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May 03, 2023
◉Stone
an avoirdupois unit used to measure the weight of a human body; equal to 14 pounds;
a heavy chap who must have weighed more than twenty stone
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May 03, 2023
◉Stone
United States jurist who served on the United States Supreme Court as Chief Justice (1872-1946)
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May 03, 2023
◉Stone
a lack of feeling or expression or movement;
he must have a heart of stone
her face was as hard as stone
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May 03, 2023
◉Stone
kill by throwing stones at;
Adulterers should be stoned according to the Koran
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May 03, 2023
◉Stone
A piece of rock quarried and shaped for a purpose.
The sculptor chiseled the stone into a beautiful statue.
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Sep 26, 2023
◉Stone
A small hard seed or pit in some fruits.
She accidentally bit into a cherry stone.
Elijah
Sep 26, 2023
◉Stone
A measure of weight, especially in Britain (14 pounds).
He lost two stones after his diet.
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Sep 26, 2023
◉Stone
Something that's rock-like in hardness or consistency.
His heart felt like a stone after hearing the news.
Muneeza Rehman
Sep 26, 2023
Pebble vs. Stone Frequently Asked Questions
Is "stone" always a natural substance?
While stones are naturally occurring, they can be shaped or modified for specific human purposes.
Jonathan
Sep 26, 2023
Can a stone be used for construction?
Yes, stones are frequently used in construction for structures and roads.
Muneeza Rehman
Sep 26, 2023
Where can pebbles commonly be found?
Pebbles are typically found on beaches, riverbeds, and lakeshores.
Muazma Batool
Sep 26, 2023
Is a pebble considered a stone?
Yes, a pebble is a type of stone, specifically a small and often smooth one.
Muneeza Rehman
Sep 26, 2023
Can "stone" refer to a weight measure?
Yes, in Britain, a "stone" is a unit of weight equal to 14 pounds.
Lucas
Sep 26, 2023
Why are pebbles smooth and rounded?
Pebbles are often smoothed and rounded due to the continuous action of water and natural weathering processes.
Muneeza Rehman
Sep 26, 2023
What makes a rock different from a stone?
Both terms can often be used interchangeably, but "rock" typically refers to a larger mass, while "stone" can be a smaller, movable piece.
Leo
Sep 26, 2023
Are all pebbles found near water?
While many pebbles are found near water due to the smoothing action of water, they can also be found in other locations.
William
Sep 26, 2023
Are pebbles used in jewelry?
Yes, pebbles can be polished and used in jewelry as natural ornaments.
Kaitlyn
Sep 26, 2023
Which is generally larger, a stone or a pebble?
While a pebble is a type of stone, the term "stone" can refer to objects of various sizes, often larger than a pebble.
Henry
Sep 26, 2023
Content Creators
Written by
Muneeza RehmanAt Comparisons.wiki, Muneeza skillfully navigates the vast sea of information, ensuring clarity and accuracy as the lead content editor. With a keen eye for detail, she curates every comparison to enlighten and engage readers.
Edited by
Muazma BatoolAs a content editor, Muazma Batool is not just a grammar guru but a creative mastermind who breathes life into every word. With an eagle eye for detail and a passion for storytelling, she transforms bland text into engaging content that captivates audiences and drives results.
