shale

noun

: a fissile rock that is formed by the consolidation of clay, mud, or silt, has a finely stratified or laminated structure, and is composed of minerals essentially unaltered since deposition
shaley adjective
or less commonly shaly

Examples of shale in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web The emergence of the North American shale sector had upended the cartel’s decades-long dominance of the global oil market, prompting OPEC leaders to pursue a strategy of detente during closed-door gatherings on the sidelines of industry conferences in Houston. Alicia Adamczyk, Fortune, 19 July 2024 Natural gas is 85 to 90 percent methane, which is primarily produced by hydraulic fracturing cracking deep shales underground to release gas. Justin Mikulka, Scientific American, 15 July 2024 For example, the U.S. currently stores military radioactive waste in low-permeability salt formations in New Mexico, and there are numerous pending proposals to store CO2 in sandstones overlain by low-permeability shales in North Dakota. Naomi Oreskes, Scientific American, 1 Mar. 2024 The Just Transition Fund, adopted in June 2021, aims to ease the employment effects of phasing out coal, peat, and shale by investing in low-carbon sectors such as wind and solar power. Nathalie Tocci, Foreign Affairs, 14 Jan. 2022 See all Example Sentences for shale 

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'shale.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

probably from obsolete or dialect shale scale, shell, from Middle English, from Old English scealu — more at shell

First Known Use

1747, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of shale was in 1747

Dictionary Entries Near shale

Cite this Entry

“Shale.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/shale. Accessed 26 Jul. 2024.

Kids Definition

shale

noun
: a rock with a fine grain formed from clay, mud, or silt
shaley adjective

More from Merriam-Webster on shale

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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