Word
shingle
Phoneticsshin·gle, stress on the first syllable
US/ˈʃɪŋɡəɫ/
UK/ʃˈɪŋɡəl/
Definition
n. a thin, flat piece of wood or stone used to cover the roof of a house. You often see them arranged in a pattern to protect the building from rain.
n. a thin, flat piece of wood, stone, or other material used for roofing. Often used in the plural to refer to the entire roof covering.
Examples
“The roof is covered in dark green shingles.”
“After the storm, the contractor replaced all the damaged shingles to prevent water from leaking into the attic.”
“The historic building's roof was restored using traditional cedar shingles, which provide superior insulation and a distinctive aesthetic that modern materials cannot replicate.”
Examples
simple
“The roof is covered in dark green shingles.”
contextual
“After the storm, the contractor replaced all the damaged shingles to prevent water from leaking into the attic.”
complex
“The historic building's roof was restored using traditional cedar shingles, which provide superior insulation and a distinctive aesthetic that modern materials cannot replicate.”
Real-World Examples
“I recognised the tall brick chimney and shingled roof.” “Varicella zoster virus, also known as human herpesvirus 3, causes chickenpox and shingles.” Etymology
From Middle English shyngel, alteration of Old English sċindel, from Proto-West Germanic skindulā, borrowed from Late Latin scindula, from Latin scandula, from Proto-Indo-European sked- (“to split, scatter”), from *sek- (“to cut”). Doublet of shindle.
From dialectal French chingler (“to strap, whip”), from Latin cingula (“girt, belt”), from cingere (“to girt”).
From Middle English shingel, chingel, singel (“gravel, pebbles”), cognate with Norwegian Bokmål singel (“pebble(s)”), Norwegian Nynorsk singel (“pebble(s)”), and North Frisian singel (“gravel”), imitative of the sound of water running over such pebbles.
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Idioms
- Exam level
- CambridgeCambridgeCambridge English QualificationsThe exam suite from Cambridge University Press & Assessment, from A1 Movers up to C2 Proficiency. The benchmark names double as CEFR labels.B2 FirstIELTSIELTSInternational English Language Testing SystemThe 0–9 band test co-owned by the British Council, IDP, and Cambridge. Used for university entry, work, and migration.5.5–6.5TOEFL iBTTOEFL iBTTest of English as a Foreign Language, Internet-Based TestETS's academic English test, the standard route for US university admissions. Scored 0–120, with a 1–6 scale since 2026.1–6 scale: 4.0–4.572–94TOEICTOEICTest of English for International CommunicationETS's workplace English test, big in Japan and Korea. Listening & Reading scores 10–990 and tops out at C1.785–944
- Frequency
- Occasional
- Level
- B2 · Upper Intermediate
- Updated
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