slat

1 of 3

verb (1)

ˈslat 

slatted; slatting

transitive verb

1

: strike, pummel

2

: to hurl or throw smartly

slat

2 of 3

noun

1

: a thin narrow flat strip especially of wood or metal

2

slats plural, slang : ribs

3

: an auxiliary airfoil at the leading edge of the wing of an airplane

slat adjective

slatted

ˈsla-təd 

adjective

slat

3 of 3

verb (2)

slatted; slatting

transitive verb

: to make or equip with slats

Examples of slat in a Sentence

Noun

the slats of a venetian blind

The fence has two broken slats.

Recent Examples on the Web

Verb

Its cushioned chairs and slatted square side table create an idyllic place to sip coffee in the morning or watch the sunset at night, and the removable cushion covers are easy to wash when needed. —Rachel Trujillo, PEOPLE, 25 May 2026

The walnut finish and slatted cabinet doors give this bathroom organizer a slightly retro look, while the slim silhouette keeps it from overwhelming smaller bathrooms or powder rooms. —Bailey Berg, Architectural Digest, 20 May 2026

Noun

Moments later, the plane did in fact crash after the pilots failed to properly configure the wing flaps and slats for takeoff, according to the NTSB. —Joel Rose, NPR, 30 May 2026

Shortell had complained that the cost of a solid fence is far higher than a chain link fence, even with slats in the chain link to block the view of the materials stored inside. —Doug Ross, Chicago Tribune, 29 May 2026

Word History

Etymology

Verb (1)

perhaps of Scandinavian origin; akin to Old Norse sletta to throw carelessly

Noun

Middle English sclate, slate slate

First Known Use

Verb (1)

circa 1587, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Noun

1764, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Verb (2)

1886, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for slat

• at
• bat
• batt
• brat
• cat
• chat
• fat
• flat
• gat
• gnat
• hat
• kat

Kids Definition

slat

noun

ˈslat

: a thin narrow flat strip of wood, plastic, or metal

the slats of a venetian blind

slatted

ˈslat-əd

adjective