slab

1 of 3

noun

1
: a thick plate or slice (as of stone, wood, or bread): such as
a
: the outside piece cut from a log in squaring it
b
: concrete pavement (as of a road)
specifically : a strip of concrete pavement laid as a single unjointed piece
c(1)
: a flat rectangular architectural element that is usually formed of a single piece or mass
a concrete foundation slab
(2)
: a rectangular building having little width with respect to its length and usually height
2
: something that resembles a slab (as in size, shape, or density)
backed up by a solid slab of reference materialThe Times Literary Supplement (London)
3
: a hard plastic holder for a collectible coin and an identifying insert
slablike adjective

slab

2 of 3

verb

slabbed; slabbing

transitive verb

1
a
: to remove an outer slab from
slab a log
b
: to divide or form into slabs
2
: to cover or support (something, such as a roadbed or roof) with slabs
3
: to put on thickly

slab

3 of 3

adjective

dialectal, chiefly England

Examples of slab in a Sentence

Noun a thick slab of homemade bread
Recent Examples on the Web
Noun
The façade features whitewashed blocks accented by concrete slabs and frameless panes of glass walls. Emma Reynolds, Robb Report, 21 May 2024 Two days later, Turkey’s Ministry of Culture and Tourism descended on the café and took away the slab. Joshua Hammer, Smithsonian Magazine, 15 May 2024 See all Example Sentences for slab 

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'slab.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

Noun

Middle English slabbe

Adjective

akin to Middle English slabben to wallow, obsolete Danish slab muck

First Known Use

Noun

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Verb

1703, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Adjective

1605, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of slab was in the 14th century

Dictionary Entries Near slab

Cite this Entry

“Slab.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/slab. Accessed 28 May. 2024.

Kids Definition

slab

noun
ˈslab
: a thick flat piece or slice (as of stone, wood, or bread)

More from Merriam-Webster on slab

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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