slab

1 of 3

noun

ˈslab 

1

: a thick plate or slice (as of stone, wood, or bread): such as

a

: the outside piece cut from a log in squaring it

b

: concrete pavement (as of a road)

specifically : a strip of concrete pavement laid as a single unjointed piece

c(1)

: a flat rectangular architectural element that is usually formed of a single piece or mass

a concrete foundation slab

(2)

: a rectangular building having little width with respect to its length and usually height

2

: something that resembles a slab (as in size, shape, or density)

backed up by a solid slab of reference material

—The Times Literary Supplement (London)

3

: a hard plastic holder for a collectible coin and an identifying insert

slablike

ˈslab-ˌlīk 

adjective

slab

2 of 3

verb

slabbed; slabbing

transitive verb

1

a

: to remove an outer slab from

slab a log

b

: to divide or form into slabs

2

: to cover or support (something, such as a roadbed or roof) with slabs

3

: to put on thickly

slab

3 of 3

adjective

dialectal, chiefly England

: thick, viscous

Examples of slab in a Sentence

Noun

a thick slab of homemade bread

Recent Examples on the Web

Noun

The carbon dioxide gas warms and builds up before eventually breaking through slabs of overlying ice, dragging dark dust with it to the surface that shatters through like a geyser. —Eric Lagatta, USA TODAY, 25 Apr. 2024

The gas builds up and eventually breaks through slabs overlying ice around Mars’ poles. —Laura Baisas, Popular Science, 25 Apr. 2024

Word History

Etymology

Noun

Middle English slabbe

Adjective

akin to Middle English slabben to wallow, obsolete Danish slab muck

First Known Use

Noun

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Verb

1703, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Adjective

1605, in the meaning defined above

Phrases Containing slab

• slab-sided

Kids Definition

slab

noun

ˈslab

: a thick flat piece or slice (as of stone, wood, or bread)