gravel
Americannoun
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small stones and pebbles, or a mixture of these with sand.
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Pathology.
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multiple small calculi formed in the kidneys.
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the disease characterized by such concretions.
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verb (used with object)
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to cover with gravel.
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to bring to a standstill from perplexity; puzzle.
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Informal. to be a cause of irritation to.
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Obsolete. to run (a ship) aground, as on a beach.
adjective
noun
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an unconsolidated mixture of rock fragments that is coarser than sand
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geology a mixture of rock fragments with diameters in the range 4–76 mm
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pathol small rough calculi in the kidneys or bladder
verb
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to cover with gravel
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to confound or confuse
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informal to annoy or disturb
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
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well-graveledadjective
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ungravelledadjective
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ungraveledadjective
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well-gravelledadjective
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gravelishadjective
Conjugated Forms
Present
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has gravelledperfect 3rd person singular
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has graveledperfect 3rd person singular
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have graveledperfect
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have gravelledperfect
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am gravelingprogressive 1st person singular
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have been gravellingperfect progressive
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are gravellingprogressive
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am gravellingprogressive 1st person singular
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has been gravelingperfect progressive 3rd person singular
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have been gravelingperfect progressive
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are gravelingprogressive
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gravelssingular 3rd person
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is gravelingprogressive 3rd person singular
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gravelingparticiple
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has been gravellingperfect progressive 3rd person singular
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is gravellingprogressive 3rd person singular
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gravellingparticiple
Past
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had graveledperfect
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had gravelledperfect
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were gravellingprogressive plural
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had been gravellingperfect progressive
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were gravelingprogressive plural
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had been gravelingperfect progressive
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was gravellingprogressive singular
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was gravelingprogressive singular
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gravelledparticiple
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gravelledsimple
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graveledparticiple
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graveledsimple
Future
Etymology
Origin of gravel
1250–1300; Middle English < Old French gravele, diminutive of grave sandy shore, perhaps < Celtic; cf. grave 4, growan
Explanation
Gravel is very small, irregular pieces of rock and stone. Your gravel driveway might crunch under your boots as you walk to the mailbox. Roads, paths, walkways, and yards are all sometimes paved with gravel, which is a relatively inexpensive material to use for marking areas and preventing the growth of weeds and other plants. Gravel is more rough and rocky than sand, and smaller than stones. The word gravel comes from the French word gravele, "gravel or sand," which in turn comes from grave, "seashore or sand." The ultimate Proto-Indo-European root may be ghreu, "to rub or grind."
Vocabulary lists containing gravel
Unit 1: Telling Details
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Can You Dig It? Words for Dirt and Soil
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Earth Science - Middle School
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Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
The farmer admitted using bulldozers and diggers to remove gravel from a mile-long stretch of the river by his farm in 2020 and 2021.
From BBC • May 26, 2026
In court in 2023, Price admitted that he'd used the gravel from the river to build a road and horse exercise yard at his home.
From BBC • May 26, 2026
Motorists complain that potholes and loose gravel from old roadtops cause crashes or flat tires.
From The Wall Street Journal • May 20, 2026
The gravel bucket illustrates the essential conditions for the law to apply.
From The Wall Street Journal • May 15, 2026
She honked twice before they pulled out of the driveway and sped away in a shower of gravel.
From "Hope Springs" by Jaime Berry
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
