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
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
The Shale Boom’s Impact on U.S. Production But the rise of shale drilling changed everything. Robert Rapier, Forbes, 30 Oct. 2024 In the 2010s, the United States began producing larger and larger quantities of oil from its shale, flooding global markets and causing prices to drop. Karen E. Young, Foreign Affairs, 1 Nov. 2022 Overall, Jayaram believes that Diamondback continues to be one of the best operators in U.S. shale and could deliver flat to low-single-digit volume growth while returning 50% of free cash flow to shareholders on a quarterly basis. Tipranks.com Staff, CNBC, 27 Oct. 2024 Marine sandstones and shales found near the bottom and top of the formation indicate that the sea was never far away in the Cretaceous. Kristi Curry Rogers, Scientific American, 1 Feb. 2024 See all Example Sentences for shale 

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 7 Dec. 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
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!