slate

noun \ ˈslāt \

Definition of slate

1 :a piece of construction material (such as laminated rock) prepared as a shingle for roofing and siding

2 :a dense fine-grained metamorphic rock produced by the compression of various sediments (such as clay or shale) so as to develop a characteristic cleavage

3 :a tablet (as of slate) used for writing on

4 a :a written or unwritten record (as of deeds)

started with a clean slate

b :a list of candidates for nomination or election

5 a :a dark purplish gray

b :any of various grays similar in color to common roofing slates

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slate

adjective

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slatelike

play \ˈslāt-ˌlīk\ adjective

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See slate defined for kids

Examples of slate in a Sentence

Some school blackboards are made of slate.
The house has a slate roof.

Origin and Etymology of slate

Middle English sclate, slate, from Anglo-French *esclat, from esclater to splinter, break off, of Germanic origin; akin to Old High German zesleizzen, slīzan to tear apart — more at slit

NEW! Time Traveler

First Known Use: 14th century

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Other Geology Terms

anthracite, boulder, cwm, erratic, igneous, intrusive, mesa, sedimentary, silt, swale

slate

verb

Definition of slate

slated; slating

transitive verb

1 :to cover with slate or a slatelike substance

slate a roof

2 :to designate for a specified purpose or action :schedule

was slated to direct the play

First Known Use of slate

15th century

Other Building Terms

batten, cistern, hearth, lath, transom, wainscot

slate

verb

Definition of slate

slated; slating

transitive verb

1 :to thrash or pummel severely

2 chiefly British :to criticize or censure severely

Origin and Etymology of slate

probably alteration of ¹slat

NEW! Time Traveler

First Known Use: 1825

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British Definition of SLATE

slate

verb

British Definition of slate

slated; slating

transitive verb

:to criticize or censure severely

SLATE Defined for English Language Learners

slate

noun

Definition of slate for English Language Learners

: a type of hard rock that splits easily into thin layers
: a small sheet of slate in a wooden frame that was used in schools in the past for writing on with chalk
: a piece of slate that is used with others to cover a roof or wall