tile

[ tahyl ]

noun

1. a thin slab or bent piece of baked clay, sometimes painted or glazed, used for various purposes, as to form one of the units of a roof covering, floor, or revetment.
2. any of various similar slabs or pieces, as of linoleum, stone, rubber, or metal.
3. tiles collectively.
4. a flat, rectangular playing piece used in certain games, as Scrabble and mah-jongg.
5. a pottery tube or pipe used for draining land.
6. Also called hollow tile. any of various hollow or cellular units of burnt clay or other materials, as gypsum or cinder concrete, for building walls, partitions, floors, and roofs, or for fireproofing steelwork or the like.
7. Informal. a stiff hat or high silk hat.

verb (used with object)

, tiled, til·ing.

1. to cover with or as with tiles.

tile

/ taɪl /

noun

1. a flat thin slab of fired clay, rubber, linoleum, etc, usually square or rectangular and sometimes ornamental, used with others to cover a roof, floor, wall, etc tegular
2. a short pipe made of earthenware, concrete, or plastic, used with others to form a drain
3. tiles collectively
4. a rectangular block used as a playing piece in mah jong and other games
5. old-fashioned.
   a hat
6. on the tiles informal.
   on a spree, esp of drinking or debauchery

verb

1. tr to cover with tiles

Derived Forms

• ˈtiler, noun

Other Words From

• tilelike adjective
• re·tile verb (used with object) retiled retiling

Word History and Origins

Origin of tile¹

First recorded before 900; Middle English; Old English tīgele (cognate with German Ziegel ), from Latin tēgula

Word History and Origins

Origin of tile¹

Old English tīgele, from Latin tēgula; related to German Ziegel

Example Sentences

In a sports park next to the red walls and glossy blue tiles which surround Beijing’s Temple of Heaven, a group of pensioners are working out.

From BBC

While a recent report by the Health and Safety Executive highlighted situations where using open cell was low-risk, it cautioned against applying it directly to roof tiles.

From BBC

Today, walking through the grey rubble and dust, there are still coat hooks on the wall, a few tiles in the bathroom, a window with the glass long gone.

From BBC

The artworks were found in a banqueting hall with dramatic black walls and a mosaic floor made of more than 1 million white tiles.

From BBC

“In fact, sculpture, tiles, ceramics, and more were meant to be viewed in natural light, and many were made for outdoor display.”

From Los Angeles Times

Related Words

• brick
• plate
• shingle