stubble

American  

[stuhb-uhl] / ˈstʌb əl /

noun

1. Usually stubbles. the stumps of grain and other stalks left in the ground when the crop is cut.

2. such stumps collectively.

3. any short, rough growth, as of beard.

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stubble British  

/ ˈstʌbəl /

noun

1. 1. the stubs of stalks left in a field where a crop has been cut and harvested

   2. ( as modifier )

      a stubble field

2. any bristly growth or surface

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Other Word Forms

• stubbled adjective
• stubbly adjective
• unstubbled adjective

Etymology

Origin of stubble

1250–1300; Middle English stuble < Old French estuble < Vulgar Latin *stupula, Latin stipula stipule

Explanation

Stubble is the prickly hair that grows back after being shaved. You might find stubble on a man's chin or on a woman's leg. Stubble is a very specific kind of hair: hair that's been shaved but has grown back a little bit after a few days. On a man's face, stubble isn't quite a beard yet: the hair is short. Stubble feels rough, and it can be itchy. Although some men like the stubble look, most men usually go one way or the other: grow out a beard or shave the stubble off. You can also have stubble anywhere hair has been shaved.

Example Sentences

The tribunal was told that in the changing room Rose was "seen wearing boxer shorts" and "bearing stubble".

From BBC • Jan. 21, 2026

Years of efforts to tackle the problem, including work-from-home policies and rules on crop stubble burning, have done little to alleviate the issue.

From Barron's • Dec. 28, 2025

Silver pearls glisten on the men’s foreheads and their eyes are sunken deep in their pale faces, framed in a stubble of beard.

From The Wall Street Journal • Nov. 7, 2025

His stubble had grown into a wispy beard.

From Los Angeles Times • Jun. 15, 2025

His chin was covered with gray stubble and he wore very wrinkled tan pajamas.

From "The World According to Humphrey" by Betty G. Birney