shingle

1 of 3

noun (1)

shin·​gle ˈshiŋ-gəl 

1

: a small thin piece of building material often with one end thicker than the other for laying in overlapping rows as a covering for the roof or sides of a building

2

: a small signboard especially designating a professional office

—used chiefly in the phrase hang out one's shingle

3

: a woman's haircut with the hair trimmed short from the back of the head to the nape

shingle

2 of 3

verb

shingled; shingling ˈshiŋ-g(ə-)liŋ 

transitive verb

1

: to cover with or as if with shingles

2

: to bob and shape (the hair) in a shingle

3

: to lay out or arrange so as to overlap

shingler

ˈshiŋ-g(ə-)lər 

noun

shingle

3 of 3

noun (2)

1

: coarse rounded detritus or alluvial material especially on the seashore that differs from ordinary gravel only in the larger size of the stones

2

: a place strewn with shingle

shingly

ˈshiŋ-g(ə-)lē 

adjective

Examples of shingle in a Sentence

Verb

a house shingled with cedar

Recent Examples on the Web

Noun

Recycled materials are incorporated into the design, from the roof shingles and steel to a coal-burning byproduct called fly ash that is incorporated with the building’s concrete. —Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 14 May 2026

Morgan Wandell is exiting Apple TV as head of international development after nearly a decade at the company, and has launched his own production shingle, dubbed Kismet. —Michael Schneider, Variety, 13 May 2026

Verb

In fact, shingles rates among people in their 30s and 40s increased for almost two decades starting in 1998—and younger adults and children can get the illness too. —Petra Guglielmetti, Glamour, 7 May 2026

The collection of four 200-year-old houses that comprise the property are charming with their wooden porches and shingled exteriors, keeping the right amount of familiarity. —Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 3 May 2026

Word History

Etymology

Noun (1)

Middle English schingel, alteration of Old English scindel, from Medieval Latin scindula, alteration of Latin scandula

Noun (2)

Middle English chyngell; akin to Middle Low German singel seashore gravel

First Known Use

Noun (1)

13th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Verb

1562, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Noun (2)

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Phrases Containing shingle

• hang out one's shingle

Rhymes for shingle

• commingle
• dingle
• ingle
• jingle
• lingle
• mingle
• pringle
• single
• swingle
• tingle
• intermingle

Kids Definition

shingle

1 of 2 noun

shin·​gle ˈshiŋ-gəl 

1

: a small thin piece of building material for laying in overlapping rows as a covering for the roof or sides of a building

2

: a small sign

3

: a woman's short haircut

shinglelike

-ˌlīk

adjective

shingle

2 of 2 verb

shingled; shingling -g(ə-)liŋ 

1

: to cover with or as if with shingles

2

: to cut and shape the hair in a shingle