I. ˈshiŋ-gəl noun
Etymology: Middle English schingel, alteration of Old English scindel, from Medieval Latin scindula, alteration of Latin scandula
Date: 13th century
1. : a small thin piece of building material often with one end thicker than the other for laying in overlapping rows as a covering for the roof or sides of a building
2. : a small signboard especially designating a professional office — used chiefly in the phrase hang out one's shingle
3. : a woman's haircut with the hair trimmed short from the back of the head to the nape
II. transitive verb
( shin·gled ; shin·gling -g(ə-)liŋ)
Date: 1562
1. : to cover with or as if with shingles
2. : to bob and shape (the hair) in a shingle
3. : to lay out or arrange so as to overlap
• shin·gler -g(ə-)lər noun
III. noun
Etymology: Middle English chyngell; akin to Middle Low German singel seashore gravel
Date: 15th century
1. : coarse rounded detritus or alluvial material especially on the seashore that differs from ordinary gravel only in the larger size of the stones
2. : a place strewn with shingle
• shin·gly -g(ə-)lē adjective