shale

noun

ˈshāl 

: 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

ˈshā-lē 

Examples of shale in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Several delegates said the move was intended to claw back market share ceded in recent years to rivals like American shale drillers. —Grant Smith, Fortune, 4 Jan. 2026

Today, as a result of the shale-oil revolution—fracking—the United States is the world’s largest oil producer, even larger than Saudi Arabia, and a net exporter of petroleum. —John Cassidy, New Yorker, 4 Jan. 2026

Brandywine Falls, a spectacle that sends water soaring down 60 feet of shale and sandstone, is arguably the park’s most popular attraction. —Stephanie Vermillion, Travel + Leisure, 5 Dec. 2025

Except for some small regions near the Mississippi River, Eau Claire shale is considerably thick – more than 300 feet (90 meters) – throughout most of the Illinois basin. —Ramesh Agarwal, The Conversation, 2 Dec. 2025

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

Phrases Containing shale

• oil shale
• shale oil

Rhymes for shale

• ail
• ale
• bail
• baile
• dail
• fail
• flail
• frail
• gael
• gail
• grail
• hail

Kids Definition

shale

noun

ˈshā(ə)l 

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

shaley

ˈshā-lē 

adjective