tile

1 of 2

noun

ˈtī(-ə)l 

often attributive

1

plural tiles or tile

a

: a flat or curved piece of fired clay, stone, or concrete used especially for roofs, floors, or walls and often for ornamental work

b

: a hollow or a semicircular and open earthenware or concrete piece used in constructing a drain

c

: a hollow building unit made of fired clay or of shale or gypsum

2

: tiling

3

: a thin piece of resilient material (such as cork, linoleum, or rubber) used especially for covering floors or walls

4

: a thin piece resembling a ceramic tile that usually bears a mark or letter and is used as a playing piece in a board game (such as mah-jongg)

5

: hat

especially : a high silk hat

tile

2 of 2

verb

tiled; tiling

transitive verb

1

: to cover with tiles

2

: to install drainage tile in

tiler noun

Phrases

on the tiles

British

: engaged in late-night carousing

Examples of tile in a Sentence

Noun

We installed new tile in the kitchen.

Verb

We hired him to tile the bathroom floor.

Recent Examples on the Web

Noun

It's usually found on shower doors, bathtubs, tiles, and faucets, and can be challenging to clean, especially if it’s been ignored. —Mary Cornetta, Better Homes & Gardens, 4 Nov. 2024

Other details continue the embrace of color like the orange-and-white tiles in the kitchen, the wallpaper with a Roy Lichtenstein look in the children’s bathroom, and the lamps with warm gradients found in the principal bathroom. —Marta Sader, Architectural Digest, 2 Nov. 2024

Verb

Lindsay tiled a bathroom in a sweeping mosaic of a woman in a green dress. —Adriane Quinlan, Curbed, 9 Sep. 2024

Heather says her son can tile showers and backsplashes, hang drywall and install electrical outlet covers. —Zoey Lyttle, Peoplemag, 26 Sep. 2024

Word History

Etymology

Noun

Middle English, from Old English tigele, from Latin tegula tile; akin to Latin tegere to cover — more at thatch

First Known Use

Noun

before the 12th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Verb

13th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Kids Definition

tile

1 of 2 noun

ˈtī(ə)l 

1

plural tiles or tile

a

: a flat or curved piece (as of fired clay, stone, or concrete) used especially for roofs or floors

b

: a pipe of earthenware used for a drain

2

: a thin piece of material (as linoleum or rubber) for covering floors or walls

tile

2 of 2 verb

tiled; tiling

: to cover with tiles