What does "slater" mean?
One who lays slates, or whose occupation is to slate buildings.
Slater
/ˈsleɪtɚ/ name, noun
name, noun ·Uncommon ·Advanced level
Meaning at a glance
- Primary sense: One who lays slates, or whose occupation is to slate buildings.
- Grammar: slater is listed as name, noun.
- Nearest alternatives: family name, last name, roofer, slate worker.
- Useful contrasts: given name, unskilled laborer.
- Usage evidence: How do you happen to know Mr Slater?
How to use "slater"
- Start with the primary definition, then check the part of speech before placing the word in a sentence.
- Compare nearby synonyms to make sure "slater" carries the exact meaning, tone, and strength you need.
- Use the example sentence as a context check. If your sentence uses the word differently, confirm that the grammar still fits.
Meaning check
- Does the word fit the sentence's grammar?
- Does it match the intended tone rather than only the dictionary definition?
- Would a simpler synonym be clearer for the reader?
- Is there enough surrounding context to prevent ambiguity?
Source and review context
This entry combines structured lexical data with WordToolSet review checks. Definitions, examples, synonyms, and usage notes may come from different source tables, so the page is designed to show evidence from more than one angle before you rely on "slater" in a final draft.
If a word has several senses, prefer the sense that matches your sentence's grammar and surrounding context. A correct definition can still be the wrong choice when the sentence needs a different register, emphasis, or level of specificity.
Before you rely on this definition
Read the first definition as a starting point, then check the example, synonyms, and part of speech before treating "slater" as the right word for your sentence.
If your draft is formal, technical, persuasive, or sensitive, compare "slater" with a nearby alternative so the final choice matches both meaning and reader expectation.
Compare nearby meanings
- Use synonyms when you need a softer, stronger, simpler, or more specific word.
- Use antonyms to check the boundary of the meaning and avoid accidental contrast.
- Use the example sentence to confirm the word behaves naturally in context.
- Keep the original wording when a replacement adds complexity without improving precision.
Definition decision workflow
1. Identify the role
Check whether "slater" is acting as name, noun in your sentence. A definition is only useful when the grammar matches the way the word is being used.
2. Test the nearest option
Compare it with "family name" and other nearby choices to see whether the sentence needs a softer, stronger, or more familiar word.
3. Confirm with context
Use the example sentence below as an evidence check, then read your own sentence out loud to catch tone or rhythm problems.
Review note: Definition pages are checked for source coverage, sentence evidence, synonym support, and editorial insight before they are treated as approval-ready pages. If the evidence is too thin, the page remains available to users but is kept out of the approval-facing indexed inventory.
Final meaning check
Before publishing a sentence with "slater", ask whether the word helps the reader understand the idea faster. A precise word should reduce confusion, not simply make the sentence look more polished.
When the definition, synonym evidence, and example context point in the same direction, the word is usually a safer choice. When they conflict, revise the sentence or choose a clearer alternative.
Definitions
Noun
- 1 One who lays slates, or whose occupation is to slate buildings.
- 2 any of various small terrestrial isopods having a flat elliptical segmented body; found in damp habitats wordnet
- 3 Any terrestrial isopod crustacean of the genus Porcellio and allied genera; a woodlouse. Australia, New-Zealand, Scotland
- 4 A harsh critic; one who slates or denigrates something.
"Plain speaking, now and then, is very necessary. The author will call the critic a “blackguard slater," of course, but he need not be a blackguard. Ferocity of language only hurts his effect."
Proper Noun
- 1 A surname originating as an occupation.
- 2 A number of places in the United States:; An unincorporated community in Moffat County and Routt County, Colorado.
- 3 A number of places in the United States:; A city in Story County, Iowa.
- 4 A number of places in the United States:; An unincorporated community in Ballard County, Kentucky.
- 5 A number of places in the United States:; A township in Cass County, Minnesota.
Show 3 more definitions
- 6 A number of places in the United States:; A city in Saline County, Missouri.
- 7 A number of places in the United States:; An unincorporated community in Clay Township, Auglaize County, Ohio.
- 8 A number of places in the United States:; A census-designated place in Platte County, Wyoming.
Synonyms
All synonymsAntonyms
given nameunskilled laborer
Example
"How do you happen to know Mr Slater?"
Common questions
What is a synonym for "slater"?
Common synonyms include: family name, last name, roofer, slate worker, tile setter, wood louse.
How do you use "slater" in a sentence?
How do you happen to know Mr Slater?
How do you pronounce "slater"?
Pronounced /ˈsleɪtɚ/.
Etymology
Etymology 1
From Middle English sclater, equivalent to slate + -er.
Etymology 2
From Middle English Slatere, Slatare, Sclatere, from Middle English sclater (“slater”).