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noun B2 Upper-Intermediate Uncommon

rubble

RUHB-uhl

Rubble (noun) means Broken fragments of stone, brick, or masonry, especially from a collapsed or demolished building. Example: “Rescue workers searched through the rubble after the earthquake.”

noun
1
Broken fragments of stone, brick, or masonry, especially from a collapsed or demolished building.
"Rescue workers searched through the rubble after the earthquake."

How to use rubble

Learner’s notes

In plain EnglishThe broken chunks of stone or brick left when a building or structure is destroyed.

Common pairings
pile of rubble reduced to rubble buried under rubble

Word forms

rubbled past tense, rubbles plural, rubbles singular

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Fill the gap

Can you complete this real example?

Rescue workers searched through the _____ after the earthquake.

Etymology

From Middle English rouble, likely related to "rubbish" and ultimately to an Old Norse word for scraping or piling up debris.

Origin: Middle English

Related words

Rhymes for rubble

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Frequently asked questions

What does “rubble” mean?

The word “rubble” means broken fragments of stone, brick, or masonry, especially from a collapsed or demolished building. In plain terms, the broken chunks of stone or brick left when a building or structure is destroyed.

How do you pronounce “rubble”?

“Rubble” is pronounced RUHB-uhl (/ˈɹʌb.əl/ in IPA).

How do you use “rubble” in a sentence?

Here is “rubble” used in a sentence: “Rescue workers searched through the rubble after the earthquake.”

What part of speech is “rubble”?

“Rubble” is a noun.

Where does the word “rubble” come from?

The word “rubble” comes from Middle English. From Middle English rouble, likely related to "rubbish" and ultimately to an Old Norse word for scraping or piling up debris.

Is “rubble” a common word?

“Rubble” is an uncommon word in modern English, usually learned at around the B2 level.

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Definitions: FreeDict original editorial