rubble

American  

[ruhb-uhl, roo-buhl] / ˈrʌb əl, ˈru bəl /

noun

1. broken bits and pieces of anything, as that which is demolished.

   Bombing reduced the town to rubble.

2. any solid substance, as ice, in irregularly broken pieces.

3. rough fragments of broken stone, formed by geological processes, in quarrying, etc., and sometimes used in masonry.

4. masonry built of rough fragments of broken stone.

---

rubble British  

/ ˈrʌbəl /

noun

1. fragments of broken stones, bricks, etc

2. any fragmented solid material, esp the debris from ruined buildings

3. quarrying the weathered surface layer of rock

4. Also called: rubblework.  masonry constructed of broken pieces of rock, stone, etc

---

Other Word Forms

• rubbly adjective

Etymology

Origin of rubble

1350–1400; Middle English rubel, robil < ?; rubbish

Example Sentences

The woman trapped in the rubble had been living in the complex with her husband and young daughter.

From BBC

At a pagoda in the suburb of Amarapura, a statue of a reclining Buddha emerges from a carefully arranged pile of brick rubble, its face respectfully cleaned.

From Barron's

Black-clad men are seen stationed near roundabouts, zipping through deserted streets on scooters or inspecting buildings reduced to rubble.

From Barron's

Analysts note the regime is battered but intact, still controls the Strait of Hormuz and could access its nuclear materials buried deep under rubble.

From The Wall Street Journal

This has been demolished by Glasgow City Council with work continuing to remove the rubble.

From BBC

Related Words

• debris