shingle
SHING-guhl
/ˈʃɪŋ.ɡəl/
A thin, flat piece of wood, asphalt, or slate laid in overlapping rows to cover roofs or walls.
Unlike uniform wall panels or large metal sheets, shingles are modular pieces installed in staggered courses specifically to shed water downward.
The story behind the word. Traces back to Late Latin 'scindula', derived from 'scindere', meaning 'to split' or 'to cleave'. Early roofers manufactured wooden shingles by hand-splitting blocks of oak or cedar along the straight grain using a mallet and froe.
Word relationships
- tile: Tiles are typically heavier ceramic or concrete units, whereas shingles are thinner asphalt, wood, or composite pieces.
- shake: A shake is hand-split wood with a rough texture, whereas a shingle is smoothly sawn on both sides.
- flat roof membrane: A flat membrane forms a continuous single-sheet seal rather than layered, overlapping individual units like shingles.
Commonly confused with
- shake: Wood shakes are split along the grain for a rustic look; wood shingles are sawn smooth for precision overlap.
Word family
- shingled (adjective): Covered or fitted with shingles.
- shingling (noun): The material or process of laying shingles.
Collocations
- asphalt shingle
- architectural shingle
- cedar shingle
- shingle roof
Idioms & expressions
- hang out one's shingle
Example sentences
- "The carpenters replaced every rotted cedar shingle on the historical cottage roof." Exterior residential renovation
- "High winds during the gale tore several asphalt shingles off the south slope of the building." Storm damage assessment
Memory hook
Imagine SHINing a flashlight onto a split wood SHINGLE on a roof. Split wood sheet.
When not to use
Do not confuse with gravel beaches (also called shingle beaches in British English) or medical shingles (herpes zoster).
Fun facts
- In traditional American idiom, 'hanging out one's shingle' originated when doctors and lawyers hung wooden shingle signs outside their offices to announce their practice.
Related words
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