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

Energy prices have also fallen, adding risk to export prospects for the Vaca Muerta shale field—one of Argentina’s few hopes for escaping chronic hard currency shortages that trigger balance-of-payments crises. —Agustino Fontevecchia, Forbes.com, 30 Aug. 2025

Chevron bought Texas in 2001 for $36 billion at a time when the Permian position was considered a depleted afterthought before the shale revolution unlocked reservoirs previously considered uneconomic. —Jordan Blum, Fortune, 24 Aug. 2025

During the early 2000s, the development of fracking, a technology for cracking shale rock layers thousands of feet underground to obtain natural gas and oil, led to a boom in low-cost oil and natural gas. —Maydeen Merino, The Washington Examiner, 23 Aug. 2025

America gained energy independence through innovations in shale and fracking. —Steve Booren, Denver Post, 17 Aug. 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