pebblelike

Pebblelike is an adjective used to describe something that resembles a pebble in size, shape, or texture. The term is used across disciplines to convey similarity to pebbles, typically small, rounded stones found in natural settings.

In geology and sedimentology, pebblelike denotes grains or clasts about the size range of pebbles, commonly 4 to 64 millimeters in diameter according to the Wentworth scale. Pebblelike fragments are usually rounded or subrounded due to abrasion during transport by water, ice, or wind, and may exhibit a smooth surface. The term helps describe materials or textures without committing to a specific lithology.

In rock description, pebblelike clasts are characteristic of pebble conglomerates and pebbly sandstones, where the clasts are the dominant component. Pebblelike textures can indicate high-energy depositional environments, such as rivers, alluvial fans, or shoreface settings, where sediment is moved rapidly enough to winnow finer particles away.

Outside geology, pebblelike may describe surfaces or materials that mimic the appearance of pebbles, such as certain concretes, ceramics, or imaging textures that show small, rounded particles.

See also: pebble, pebble conglomerate, gravel, Wentworth scale, erosion and weathering.