slab

[slæb]

Origin

Middle English: of unknown origin.

Meanings

1. A large, flat, thick piece of stone, concrete, or wood, typically rectangular.

   • Example: "They laid marble slabs on the floor of the lobby."

2. A thick slice of something, especially meat or cake.

   • Example: "He cut a thick slab of ham for his sandwich."

3. (Informal) A large, heavy, or bulky object.

   • Example: "That old television is a real slab."

Related Words

• Noun forms: slab, slabs
• Adjective: slabby
• Synonyms: block, chunk, slice, plate, sheet

Memorization Trick

Think of a Stone Lying Across a Bridge (SLAB). This image represents a large, flat piece of material, which is exactly what a slab is.

Additional Notes

In geology, a slab refers to a large, rigid piece of the Earth's lithosphere that moves relative to other slabs in the process of plate tectonics.