Where does “slate” come from?

Slate comes from Middle English sclatten, from Old French esclate and esclat, from Frankish slaitan, from Proto-Germanic slaitijaną and slītaną, ultimately from Proto-Indo-European slaid- and (s)kel-.

slate (English): A fine-grained homogeneous sedimentary rock...

Definitions

  1. A fine-grained homogeneous sedimentary rock...

Ancestry of “slate”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1EnglishsclateObsolete form of slate
2Old Frenchesclate—
3Old Frenchesclaterto separate from, sunder out
4Frankishslaitanto split, break
5Proto-Germanicslaitijaną—
6Proto-Germanicslītanąto tear apart
7Proto-Indo-Europeansleyd-—

Words derived from “slate”

Every word from Proto-Indo-European sleyd- →Every word from Proto-Germanic slītaną →Every word from Proto-Germanic slaitijaną →