Meaning and Origin
What does the name Slate mean? Keep reading to find the user submitted meanings, dictionary definitions, and more.
Origin and Meaning of Slate
User Submitted Origins
English
90%
Hebrew
10%
International Interest
Also see international interest
Webster's Unabridged Dictionary
noun Slate
Senses
- [Min] An argillaceous rock which readily splits into thin plates; argillite; argillaceous schist.
- Any rock or stone having a slaty structure.
- A prepared piece of such stone.
- A thin, flat piece, for roofing or covering houses, etc.
- A tablet for writing upon.
- A thin, flat piece, for roofing or covering houses, etc.
- An artificial material, resembling slate, and used for the above purposes.
- A thin plate of any material; a flake.(Obs)
- [Politics] A list of candidates, prepared for nomination or for election; a list of candidates, or a programme of action, devised beforehand.(Cant, U.S)
Etymology: OE. slat sclat, OF. esclat a shiver, splinter, F. éclat, fr. OF. esclater to shiver, to chip, F. éclater, fr. OHG. sleizen to tear, slit, split, fr. slīzan to slit, G. schleissen. See Slit (v. t.), and cf. Eclat
verb Slate
Senses
- To cover with slate, or with a substance resembling slate; as, to slate a roof; to slate a globe.
- To register (as on a slate and subject to revision), for an appointment.(Polit. Cant)
verb Slate
To set a dog upon; to bait; to slat. See 2d Slat, 3.
Etymology: Cf. AS. slǣting a privilege of hunting
Other Dictionary Sources
- (formerly) a writing tablet made of slate
- A list of candidates nominated by a political party to run for election to public offices
- A fine-grained metamorphic rock that can be split into thin layers
- Thin layers of rock used for roofing
- Designate or schedule ("He slated his talk for 9 AM" and "She was slated to be his successor")
- Cover with slate ("slate the roof")
- Enter on a list or slate for an election ("He was slated for borough president")
Wiktionary
From Middle English slate, slat, slatte, sclat, sclatte, from Old French esclate, from esclat (French éclat), from Frankish *slaitan (“to split, break”), from Proto-Germanic *slaitijaną, causative of *slītaną (“to cut up, split”).
- (uncountable, geology) A fine-grained homogeneous sedimentary rock composed of clay or volcanic ash which has been metamorphosed so that it cleaves easily into thin layers.
- (uncountable) The bluish-grey colour of most slate.
- slate colour:
- (countable) A chalkboard, sheet of slate for writing on with chalk or with a thin rod of slate (a slate pencil) formerly commonly used by both students and teachers in schools
- (countable) A roofing-tile made of slate.
- (countable) A record of money owed.
- Put it on my – I’ll pay you next week.
- (countable, chiefly US) A list of affiliated candidates for an election.
- Roy Disney led the alternative of directors for the stockholder vote.
- An artificial material resembling slate and used for the same purposes.
- A thin plate of any material; a flake.
From Middle English slatten, sclatten, from the noun (see above).