slate

slate · noun, adjective, verb¹

1. Proto-Germanic · derived from*slaitijaną
2. Frankish · derived from*slaitijan“to split, break”
3. Old French · derived fromesclater“to break, shatter”
4. Old French · derived fromesclate
5. Middle English · inherited fromsclate
6. English todayslate

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.

slate · verb, noun²

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.

slate · verb³

1. Proto-Germanic · derived from*slītaną“to tear apart”
2. Old Norse · derived from*sleita
3. Middle English · inherited fromslaiten
4. English todayslate

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.

slate · noun⁴

1. Scots · borrowed fromslait
2. English todayslate

Possibly borrowed from Scots slait, slate (“dirty, slovenly, or objectionable person”), further etymology unknown.

Slate · proper noun⁵

Metonymic occupational surname for a slater.

Words from the same roots