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Definition of shale

shale

/ˈʃeɪl/
shale
Plural:shales
•
Adjective:shaly
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shale Lexical Profile

shale Game Scores & Validity

• noun

1

A fine-grained, clastic sedimentary rock formed from compacted mud and clay that splits easily into thin, flat layers.

Example

"Geologists discovered well-preserved marine fossils embedded within the dark layers of shale."

Synonyms
View all synonyms for shale

• Rhymes for shale

• Nearby Words

shakingly
shakshuka
shaky
shale
shall
shallon
shallot

Word Origin & Etymology

From Middle English shale ('shell, husk'), descending from Old English scealu ('shell, husk, scale'). The geological sense emerged in the mid-18th century because the rock naturally splits into thin, shell-like layers.

Usage Trend

Historical frequency of usage in published text.

180019102020
Data source: Google Books Ngram Viewer

Cite this Entry

Wordmom. (2026). Definition of Shale. In Wordmom Dictionary. Retrieved Nov 5, 2026, from https://wordmom.com/dictionary/shale
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