rubble

[ ruhb-uhl roo-buhl ]

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

/ 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 calledrubblework masonry constructed of broken pieces of rock, stone, etc

Derived Forms

• ˈrubbly, adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of rubble¹

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

Word History and Origins

Origin of rubble¹

C14 robyl ; perhaps related to Middle English rubben to rub, or to rubbish

Example Sentences

The building had been destroyed by a recent Israeli air strike and smoke was still rising from the rubble.

From BBC

He gave a small smile, then picked his way through the mounds of rubble separating him from the remains of his two warehouses.

From Los Angeles Times

Mattresses still wrapped in purple and green bedsheets stuck out of the rubble.

From New York Times

The foundation for this year’s success was built in the rubble of last year’s failures.

From Los Angeles Times

Indeed, last week a 1,100-year-old pyramid in Mexico collapsed into a pile of rubble because of heavy rainfall that was preceded by record-breaking drought that evaporated entire lakes.

From Salon

Related Words

• debris