slate
n. uncountablen. a dark grey rock that can be split into thin, flat layers. It is often used to make roofs or small boards for writing on.
n. a fine-grained, foliated metamorphic rock that is easily split into thin, smooth-surfaced plates. Frequently used as a durable roofing material or a writing surface.
The old house has a roof made of dark slate.
The geologist identified the sample as slate due to its distinct layers and dark grey color.
While modern buildings often use synthetic materials, many historical preservation projects require authentic slate to maintain the architectural integrity of the original structure.
The noun is derived from Middle English sclate, slat, slate (“type of rock; roofing slate; writing slate”), from Old French esclate, a feminine form of esclat (“broken piece, shard”) (modern French éclat), from Old French esclater (“to break, shatter”), from Frankish slaitijan (“to split, break”), from Proto-Germanic slaitijaną, the causative of *slītaną (“to cut up, split”); further etymology unknown (see the Proto-Germanic entry for a discussion). Doublet of éclat and slat. The adjective and verb are derived from the noun.
The verb is probably derived from slate (“flake or piece of certain types of stone that tend to cleave into thin layers; fine-grained homogeneous sedimentary rock which cleaves easily into thin layers”, noun) (etymology 1; possibly alluding to the sharpness of such rock). The noun is derived from the verb.
From Middle English slaiten, slat, slate (“to set (a dog) on an animal”), from Old Norse sleita, possibly related to Proto-Germanic slītaną (“to tear apart”), further etymology unknown.
Possibly borrowed from Scots slait, slate (“dirty, slovenly, or objectionable person”), further etymology unknown.
Often used as a modifier before other nouns, such as 'slate roof' or 'slate tiles'.