shale

noun \ ˈshāl \

Updated on: 16 Apr 2018

Definition of shale

: 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

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shaley

or less commonly shaly play \ˈshā-lē\ adjective

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Recent Examples of shale from the Web

The announcements capped a three-week visit to Houston by Mohammed bin Salman, Saudi Arabia's crown prince, during a boom in U.S. oil and gas production largely driven by West Texas shale drilling.

— katherine blunt, Houston Chronicle, "Saudi Arabian companies plan massive Houston-area investments," 8 Apr. 2018
The machine has already made its way through about 885 feet of soil and rock, and has hit shale where Rosie will pick up some speed.

— jennifer conn, akron reporter, cleveland.com, "Where's Rosie? Akron's tunnel-boring machine moves sewer project steadily ahead (photos)," 3 Apr. 2018
Steadily improving technology and the shale-drilling boom have made natural gas, wind and solar the growing sources of electricity.

— timothy puko, WSJ, "Trump Faces Test on Coal With FirstEnergy Appeal," 1 Apr. 2018
The Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries and partners including Russia are working to reduce output, yet American shale drilling remains a persistent threat.

— jessica summers, Bloomberg.com, "Crude Eases Losses as Industry Sees Surprise Stockpile Decline," 6 Feb. 2018
The shale drilling revolution has remade the global energy market, with imports from members of the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries plunging by 20 percent from late 2016 to late 2017.

— author: clifford krauss, Anchorage Daily News, "Oil price boom gives the U.S. a new edge in energy and diplomacy," 29 Jan. 2018
The success has come in the face of efforts by Saudi Arabia and its oil allies to undercut the shale drilling spree in the United States.

— clifford krauss, The Seattle Times, "Oil resurgence gives the U.S. a new edge in energy and diplomacy," 28 Jan. 2018
Bones, flints, shale beads and antler headdresses have been recovered at what would've been in the lake's edge of these former wetlands.

— ashley strickland, CNN, "11,000 years ago, our ancestors survived abrupt climate change," 26 Mar. 2018
Until, that is, the subject of environmental concerns and the media coverage of the shale gas boom comes up.

— andrew nusca, Fortune, "Rex Tillerson, Removed: CEO Daily Special Afternoon Edition for March 13, 2018," 13 Mar. 2018

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'shale.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Origin and Etymology of shale

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

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First Known Use: 1747

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SHALE Defined for English Language Learners

shale

noun

Definition of shale for English Language Learners

: a soft kind of rock that splits easily into flat pieces

SHALE Defined for Kids

shale

noun \ ˈshāl \

Definition of shale for Students

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

Learn More about shale

See words that rhyme with shale Spanish Central: Translation of shale Nglish: Translation of shale for Spanish speakers Britannica English: Translation of shale for Arabic speakers Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about shale

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shaley

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