shale

noun

ˈshāl 

: a fissile rock that is formed by the consolidation of clay, mud, or silt, has a finely stratified or laminated structure, and is composed of minerals essentially unaltered since deposition

shaley adjective

or less commonly shaly

ˈshā-lē 

Examples of shale in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

The Shale Boom’s Impact on U.S. Production But the rise of shale drilling changed everything. —Robert Rapier, Forbes, 30 Oct. 2024

In the 2010s, the United States began producing larger and larger quantities of oil from its shale, flooding global markets and causing prices to drop. —Karen E. Young, Foreign Affairs, 1 Nov. 2022

Overall, Jayaram believes that Diamondback continues to be one of the best operators in U.S. shale and could deliver flat to low-single-digit volume growth while returning 50% of free cash flow to shareholders on a quarterly basis. —Tipranks.com Staff, CNBC, 27 Oct. 2024

Marine sandstones and shales found near the bottom and top of the formation indicate that the sea was never far away in the Cretaceous. —Kristi Curry Rogers, Scientific American, 1 Feb. 2024

Word History

Etymology

probably from obsolete or dialect shale scale, shell, from Middle English, from Old English scealu — more at shell

First Known Use

1747, in the meaning defined above

Phrases Containing shale

• oil shale
• shale oil

Kids Definition

shale

noun

ˈshā(ə)l 

: a rock with a fine grain formed from clay, mud, or silt

shaley

ˈshā-lē 

adjective