Pebble vs. Stone: What's the Difference?
Edited by Aimie Carlson || By Janet White || Updated on October 7, 2023
A Pebble is a small, rounded rock, while a Stone is a solid, non-metallic mineral matter that can be of various sizes.
Key Differences
Pebble and Stone both refer to naturally occurring pieces of rock. While a Pebble is specifically a small, smooth, rounded rock, typically found near water bodies, a Stone can be any solid piece of mineral matter, not necessarily small or smooth.
The distinction between Pebble and Stone often lies in their size and appearance. A Pebble's defining features are its smoothness and roundness, often resulting from water or wind erosion. A Stone, meanwhile, can vary in size, shape, and texture.
Many people collect Pebbles due to their unique shapes, colors, and smooth textures. Stones, on the other hand, might be collected for a variety of reasons including their mineral content, historical significance, or sheer aesthetic appeal.
In landscaping, Pebbles are often used for decorative purposes in gardens, pathways, or ponds due to their uniform appearance. Stones can be used for structural purposes, like building walls, or decoration depending on their size and shape.
Both Pebbles and Stones have been essential to humans throughout history. Pebbles were possibly some of the earliest tools, used for grinding or as simple weapons. Stones have served in construction, as monuments, and even in cultural rituals.
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Comparison Chart
Definition
A small, smooth, rounded rock.
A solid piece of mineral matter.
Size
Typically small.
Can vary in size.
Texture
Smooth and rounded, often by water.
Can be smooth, rough, jagged, or varied.
Common Uses
Decoration, collections.
Building, tools, decoration.
Origin
Often found near water bodies.
Can be found in various environments.
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Pebble and Stone Definitions
Pebble
A rock fragment, smaller than a cobblestone.
Children love to skip Pebbles across calm lake waters.
Stone
A hard, solid substance found in the ground.
They built the house with local Stone.
Pebble
Collectible due to unique appearances.
She has a collection of Pebbles from every beach she's visited.
Stone
A piece of rock used for a specific purpose.
The Stone monument stood tall in the town square.
Pebble
Often used in landscaping for decorative purposes.
They used white Pebbles to create a pathway in their garden.
Stone
Concreted earthy or mineral matter; rock.
Pebble
A tiny stone made smooth by the action of water or sand.
Walking on the beach, he noticed a beautiful blue Pebble.
Stone
Such concreted matter of a particular type. Often used in combination
Sandstone.
Soapstone.
Pebble
A small stone, especially one worn smooth by erosion.
Stone
A small piece of rock.
Pebble
Clear colorless quartz; rock crystal.
Stone
A piece of rock that is used in construction
A coping stone.
A paving stone.
Pebble
A lens made of such quartz.
Stone
A gravestone or tombstone.
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.
Stone
A grindstone, millstone, or whetstone.
Pebble
An irregularly rough, grainy surface, as on leather or paper.
Stone
A milestone or boundary.
Pebble
To pave with pebbles.
Stone
A gem or precious stone.
Pebble
To impart an irregularly rough, grainy surface to (leather or paper).
Stone
Something, such as a hailstone, resembling a stone in shape or hardness.
Pebble
To pelt with pebbles.
Stone
(Botany) The hard covering enclosing the seed in certain fruits, such as the cherry, plum, or peach.
Pebble
A small stone, especially one rounded by the action of water.
Stone
(Medicine) A mineral concretion in an organ, such as the kidney or gallbladder, or other body part; a calculus.
Pebble
(geology) A particle from 4 to 64 mm in diameter, following the Wentworth scale.
Stone
Pl. stone Abbr. st. A unit of weight in Great Britain, 14 pounds (6.4 kilograms).
Pebble
(curling) A small droplet of water intentionally sprayed on the ice that cause irregularities on the surface.
Stone
(Printing) A table with a smooth surface on which page forms are composed.
Pebble
Transparent and colourless rock crystal.
Brazilian pebble
Stone
Relating to or made of stone
A stone wall.
Pebble
A form of slow-burning gunpowder in large cubical grains.
Stone
Made of stoneware or earthenware.
Pebble
(transitive) To pave with pebbles.
Stone
Complete; utter. Often used in combination
A stone liar.
Stone-deaf.
Pebble
To deposit water droplets on the ice.
To pebble the ice between games
Stone
Completely; utterly
Stone cold.
Standing stone still.
Pebble
(transitive) To give (leather) a rough appearance with small rounded prominences.
Stone
To hurl or throw stones at, especially to kill with stones.
Pebble
To place a pebble at (a vertex of a graph) according to certain rules; see pebble game.
Stone
To remove the stones or pits from.
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.
Stone
To furnish, fit, pave, or line with stones.
Pebble
Transparent and colorless rock crystal; as, Brazilian pebble; - so called by opticians.
Stone
To rub on or with a stone in order to polish or sharpen.
Pebble
To grain (leather) so as to produce a surface covered with small rounded prominences.
Stone
(Sports) To block a shot taken by (an opponent). Used of a goalie.
Pebble
A small smooth rounded rock
Stone
(Obsolete) To make hard or indifferent.
Pebble
A small, naturally rounded rock.
She picked up a shiny Pebble from the riverbank.
Stone
(uncountable) A hard earthen substance that can form large rocks.
Stone
A small piece of stone, a pebble.
Stone
A gemstone, a jewel, especially a diamond.
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.
Stone
(botany) The central part of some fruits, particularly drupes; consisting of the seed and a hard endocarp layer.
A peach stone
Stone
(medicine) A hard, stone-like deposit.
Stone
(board games) A playing piece made of any hard material, used in various board games such as backgammon and go.
Stone
A dull light grey or beige, like that of some stones.
Stone
(curling) A 42-pound, precisely shaped piece of granite with a handle attached, which is bowled down the ice.
Stone
A monument to the dead; a gravestone or tombstone.
Stone
(obsolete) A mirror, or its glass.
Stone
(obsolete) A testicle.
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.
Stone
(transitive) To pelt with stones, especially to kill by pelting with stones.
She got stoned to death after they found her.
Stone
(transitive) To wall with stones.
Stone
(transitive) To remove a stone from (fruit etc.).
Stone
(intransitive) To form a stone during growth, with reference to fruit etc.
Stone
To intoxicate, especially with narcotics. Usually in passive
Stone
To do nothing, to stare blankly into space and not pay attention when relaxing or when bored.
Stone
(transitive) To lap with an abrasive stone to remove surface irregularities.
Stone
Constructed of stone.
Stone walls
Stone
Having the appearance of stone.
Stone pot
Stone
Of a dull light grey or beige, like that of some stones.
Stone
(AAVE) Used as an intensifier.
She is one stone fox.
Stone
(LGBT) Willing to give sexual pleasure but not to receive it.
Stone butch; stone femme
Pillow princess
Stone
As a stone used with following adjective.
My father is stone deaf. This soup is stone cold.
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.
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.
Stone
A precious stone; a gem.
Stone
Something made of stone. Specifically: -
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.
Stone
A calculous concretion, especially one in the kidneys or bladder; the disease arising from a calculus.
Stone
A monument to the dead; a gravestone.
Should some relenting eyeGlance on the where our cold relics lie.
Stone
One of the testes; a testicle.
Stone
The hard endocarp of drupes; as, the stone of a cherry or peach. See Illust. of Endocarp.
Stone
A weight which legally is fourteen pounds, but in practice varies with the article weighed.
Stone
Fig.: Symbol of hardness and insensibility; torpidness; insensibility; as, a heart of stone.
I have not yet forgot myself to stone.
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.
Stone
To pelt, beat, or kill with stones.
And they stoned Stephen, calling upon God, and saying, Lord Jesus, receive my spirit.
Stone
To make like stone; to harden.
O perjured woman! thou dost stone my heart.
Stone
To free from stones; also, to remove the seeds of; as, to stone a field; to stone cherries; to stone raisins.
Stone
To wall or face with stones; to line or fortify with stones; as, to stone a well; to stone a cellar.
Stone
To rub, scour, or sharpen with a stone.
Stone
A lump or mass of hard consolidated mineral matter;
He threw a rock at me
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
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
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
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
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
Stone
United States filmmaker (born in 1946)
Stone
United States feminist and suffragist (1818-1893)
Stone
United States journalist who advocated liberal causes (1907-1989)
Stone
United States jurist who served on the United States Supreme Court as Chief Justice (1872-1946)
Stone
United States architect (1902-1978)
Stone
A lack of feeling or expression or movement;
He must have a heart of stone
Her face was as hard as stone
Stone
Kill by throwing stones at;
Adulterers should be stoned according to the Koran
Stone
Remove the pits from;
Pit plums and cherries
Stone
Of any of various dull tannish-gray colors
Stone
Can refer to precious or semi-precious gems.
Her necklace had a beautiful blue Stone pendant.
Stone
A measure of weight in some cultures.
He lost two Stones after his new diet.
Stone
Used metaphorically to describe strength or permanence.
He was her rock, her Stone during tough times.
FAQs
How does a Stone differ from a Pebble?
A Stone is a solid piece of mineral matter of any size, while a Pebble is specifically small and rounded.
Are all Pebbles small?
Typically, yes. Pebbles are generally small, rounded rocks.
Can a Stone be precious?
Yes, some stones, like diamonds or rubies, are precious gems.
Why are Pebbles often smooth?
The smoothness of Pebbles often results from erosion by water or wind.
Can a Pebble be used in construction?
While Pebbles can be used decoratively, they're not typically primary construction materials.
What's the significance of Stones in history?
Stones have been used for tools, construction, monuments, and cultural rituals.
What is a Pebble?
A Pebble is a small, smooth, rounded rock.
Are Pebbles valuable?
While most Pebbles aren't inherently valuable, some, due to rarity or appearance, might be prized by collectors.
Is a rock the same as a Stone?
The terms can be used interchangeably, though "rock" may often refer to larger formations than "Stone."
How are Stones commonly used today?
Stones are used in construction, jewelry, decoration, and even in certain games or sports.
About Author
Written by
Janet WhiteJanet White has been an esteemed writer and blogger for Difference Wiki. Holding a Master's degree in Science and Medical Journalism from the prestigious Boston University, she has consistently demonstrated her expertise and passion for her field. When she's not immersed in her work, Janet relishes her time exercising, delving into a good book, and cherishing moments with friends and family.
Edited by
Aimie CarlsonAimie Carlson, holding a master's degree in English literature, is a fervent English language enthusiast. She lends her writing talents to Difference Wiki, a prominent website that specializes in comparisons, offering readers insightful analyses that both captivate and inform.
