Tile: meaning, definitions and examples

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tile

 

[ taษชl ]

Noun / Verb
Context #1 | Noun

building material

A thin rectangular slab of baked clay, concrete, or other material, used in overlapping rows for covering roofs or walls.

Synonyms

brick, shingle, slab.

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Word Description / Examples
tile

Tile is commonly used for covering floors, walls, and roofs. It is usually made of ceramic, stone, or other hard materials. Often used in bathrooms and kitchens.

  • They decided to tile the kitchen floor with white tiles.
  • The bathroom walls were beautifully tiled.
slab

Slab is a large, thick, flat piece of stone, concrete, or wood. It is often used in construction for floors, ceilings, or countertops.

  • The kitchen had a beautiful marble slab countertop.
  • Workers poured a concrete slab for the new buildingโ€™s foundation.
shingle

Shingle is a thin piece of building material used for roof covering. It can be made of wood, asphalt, or other materials, and is ideal for sloped roofs.

  • The cabin roof was covered in wooden shingles.
  • They chose asphalt shingles for their new roof.
brick

Brick is a type of block used in building walls, pavements, and other elements in masonry construction. It's often used for constructing houses and buildings.

  • They built the house using red bricks.
  • The garden path is lined with bricks.

Examples of usage

  • The roof was covered in red clay tiles.
  • She chose white tiles for the bathroom walls.
  • The old house had a slate tile roof.
Context #2 | Noun

board game piece

A flat, thin piece used in board games, usually marked with a number or a picture.

Synonyms

counter, domino, piece.

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Word Description / Examples
tile

Used when referring to flat, thin, usually square or rectangular objects often used for covering floors, walls, or roofs.

  • The kitchen floor was covered with colorful ceramic tiles.
  • We need to replace the broken tiles in the bathroom.
piece

A general term used to refer to a part or portion of something larger, can be used in various contexts.

  • She gave him a piece of her mind.
  • I need a piece of paper to write this down.
counter

Often used to refer to a flat surface in a kitchen or store where goods are prepared or displayed.

  • She placed the groceries on the kitchen counter.
  • The shopkeeper arranged the candies on the counter.
domino

Refers specifically to a rectangular game piece used in the game of dominoes, often marked with dots on one side.

  • We spent the evening playing dominoes.
  • He lined up the dominoes in a row and then knocked them over.

Examples of usage

  • He drew a tile from the bag to see his next move.
  • The Scrabble player carefully arranged the tiles on the board.
  • In Mahjong, players take turns drawing and discarding tiles.
Context #3 | Verb

cover with tiles

To cover (a roof, wall, etc.) with tiles.

Synonyms

cover, decorate, pave.

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Word Description / Examples
tile

Refers to covering a surface with tiles, similar to the first 'tile' entry, specifically in construction or renovation settings.

  • We are tiling the roof with new slate tiles.
  • The patio needs to be retiled before summer.
cover

Used when referring to putting something over a surface to protect, hide, or enhance it. It is a more general term and can be used in various contexts.

  • Let's cover the table with a tablecloth for the party.
  • The floor is covered with a thick layer of dust.
pave

Primarily used for laying down stone, concrete, or bricks to create a hard surface like a road, path, or sidewalk.

  • They decided to pave the driveway with asphalt.
  • The city plans to pave the new bike path next month.
decorate

Used when adding or enhancing the appearance of something, typically for aesthetic purposes. This term often relates to festive occasions or interior design.

  • We will decorate the house for Christmas tomorrow.
  • She loves to decorate her room with colorful posters.

Examples of usage

  • They decided to tile the kitchen floor with ceramic tiles.
  • The bathroom will be tiled with mosaic designs.
  • The contractor will tile the entire patio area next week.

Translations

Translations of the word "tile" in other languages:

๐Ÿ‡ต๐Ÿ‡น azulejo

๐Ÿ‡ฎ๐Ÿ‡ณ เคŸเคพเค‡เคฒ (แนญฤil)

๐Ÿ‡ฉ๐Ÿ‡ช Fliese

๐Ÿ‡ฎ๐Ÿ‡ฉ ubin

๐Ÿ‡บ๐Ÿ‡ฆ ะฟะปะธั‚ะบะฐ

๐Ÿ‡ต๐Ÿ‡ฑ pล‚ytka

๐Ÿ‡ฏ๐Ÿ‡ต ใ‚ฟใ‚คใƒซ (tairu)

๐Ÿ‡ซ๐Ÿ‡ท carreau

๐Ÿ‡ช๐Ÿ‡ธ azulejo

๐Ÿ‡น๐Ÿ‡ท karo

๐Ÿ‡ฐ๐Ÿ‡ท ํƒ€์ผ (tail)

๐Ÿ‡ธ๐Ÿ‡ฆ ุจู„ุงุท (bilฤแนญ)

๐Ÿ‡จ๐Ÿ‡ฟ dlaลพdice

๐Ÿ‡ธ๐Ÿ‡ฐ dlaลพdica

๐Ÿ‡จ๐Ÿ‡ณ ็“ท็ – (cรญzhuฤn)

๐Ÿ‡ธ๐Ÿ‡ฎ ploลกฤica

๐Ÿ‡ฎ๐Ÿ‡ธ flรญsar

๐Ÿ‡ฐ๐Ÿ‡ฟ ะฟะปะธั‚ะบะฐ

๐Ÿ‡ฌ๐Ÿ‡ช แƒคแƒ˜แƒšแƒ (p'ila)

๐Ÿ‡ฆ๐Ÿ‡ฟ plitษ™

๐Ÿ‡ฒ๐Ÿ‡ฝ azulejo

Etymology

The word 'tile' originated from the Old English word 'tigele', which came from the Latin word 'tegula' meaning a roof tile. Tiles have been used for centuries in various cultures for roofing, flooring, and decoration. The versatility and durability of tiles have made them a popular choice in construction and design.

Word Frequency Rank

At #7,321 in frequency, this word belongs to advanced vocabulary. It's less common than core vocabulary but important for sophisticated expression.