slate

noun \ ˈslāt \

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

—

slate

adjective

—

slatelike

play \ˈslāt-ˌlīk\ adjective

See slate defined for English-language learners

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

in the meaning defined at sense 1

See Words from the same year

Other Geology Terms

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

slate

verb

slated; slating

transitive verb

1 : to cover (something) with slate or a slatelike substance

slate a roof

2 : to designate (someone or something) for a specified purpose or action occurring especially at a fixed time

was slated to direct the play

The new model is slated [=scheduled] for release early next year.

First Known Use of slate

15th century

in the meaning defined at sense 1

See Words from the same year

NEW! Time Traveler

Other Building Terms

batten, cistern, hearth, lath, transom, wainscot

slate

verb

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

in the meaning defined at sense 1

See Words from the same year

SLATE Defined for English Language Learners

slate

noun

: 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