alum shale

noun

variants: or alum slate or less commonly alum schist

Definition of alum shale

: a shale or clay slate originally containing pyrite and after weathering containing aluminum sulfate formed by the action of sulfuric acid from the decomposition of the pyrite on the aluminous materials of the rock

Keep scrolling for more

Learn More about alum shale

Dictionary Entries near alum shale

a lump in one's throat

Statistics for alum shale

Look-up Popularity

Time Traveler for alum shale

The first known use of alum shale was in 1737

See more words from the same year

Comments on alum shale

What made you want to look up alum shale? Please tell us where you read or heard it (including the quote, if possible).

WORD OF THE DAY

chockablock

very full or close together

Test Your Vocabulary

What did you just call me?! A Quiz

If a member of the audience describes your speech as bombastic, does that person mean it is:

pompous and overblown rousing and inspiring

Can you spell these 10 commonly misspelled words?

TAKE THE QUIZ

Test Your Knowledge - and learn some interesting things along the way.

TAKE THE QUIZ

Words at Play

Ask the Editors

Word Games