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

Leaders broadly agreed that the shale revolution has buffered American consumers from the worst of the current energy shock in ways Europe, Asia, and Africa cannot match. —Rachel Keidan, semafor.com, 7 May 2026

Much of the country’s shale production has been tapped, leaving less productive and less economic deposits. —Stephanie Pappas, Scientific American, 6 May 2026

From the ultra-deep waters of Brazil’s Santos Basin to the arid shale fields of Argentina’s Patagonia, a new hydrocarbon boom is welling up across Latin America. —Juan Pablo Spinetto, Mercury News, 23 Apr. 2026

Despite higher oil prices, US shale executives are complaining that the market volatility arising from the conflict in the Middle East isn’t making their job any easier. —David Wethe, Bloomberg, 23 Apr. 2026

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