Stale definition
Stale bread; stale air.
Old bread that has gone hard is an example of something that would be described as stale.
An idea that has become boring and overdone is an example of something that would be described as stale.
A stale joke.
- Flat; vapid; tasteless.stale beer.
- Hard and dry.
- Low in oxygen content; stagnant.stale air.
A stale joke, stale gossip.
Other Word Forms
Noun
Adjective
Origin of stale
- Middle English settled, clear (used of beer or wine) probably from Old French estale slack, settled, clear from estaler to come to a standstill, halt from estal standing place, stand of Germanic origin stel- in Indo-European roots
From American Heritage Dictionary of the English Language, 5th Edition
- Middle English stalen possibly of Low German origin Middle Low German stallen
From American Heritage Dictionary of the English Language, 5th Edition