rock fragments and pebbles
"The path was covered in loose gravel, crunching underfoot as we walked to the beach."
Small fragments of rock, used for laying on the beds of roads and railways, and as ballast.
"The construction crew spread a thick layer of gravel over the road bed to serve as stable ballast for the new railway tracks."
In plain English: Gravel is small, loose stones that are often used to cover driveways and walkways.
"The path was covered in loose gravel that crunched under our shoes."
Usage: Gravel refers specifically to small stones or pebbles rather than sand or larger rocks. As both a noun describing this material and a verb meaning to cover a surface with it, avoid confusing it with similar loose aggregates like dirt or crushed stone unless the texture is distinctly rocky.
To apply a layer of gravel to the surface of a road, etc.
"The construction crew spent all day graveling the new access road before paving it over."
In plain English: To gravel means to cover something with small stones, though this usage is very rare and usually people just say they are paving or stoning it instead.
"She decided to gravel her driveway with crushed stone last summer."
A surname.
"The famous astronomer John Gravel presented his latest research at the conference yesterday."
The word gravel comes from the Middle English and Old French terms for small stones or seashore pebbles. It ultimately traces back to a Proto-Celtic root meaning "gravel" that is related to words in Breton, Cornish, and Welsh.