Stale definition

stāl
staled staler stales stalest staling
See word origin
Frequency:
To urinate. Used especially of horses and camels.
verb
4
1
Having lost freshness, effervescence, or palatability.

Stale bread; stale air.

adjective
2
0
Ineffective or uninspired, usually from being out of practice or from having done the same thing for too long.
adjective
2
0
(law) Legally unenforceable because of a claimant's delay in seeking enforcement.
adjective
2
0
The urine of certain animals, especially horses and camels.
noun
2
0
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The definition of stale is something that is old or no longer fresh or new.

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.

adjective
1
0
To urinate.
verb
1
0
Lacking originality or spontaneity.

A stale joke.

adjective
1
1
To make or become stale.
verb
0
0
Having lost freshness; made musty, dry, bad, etc. by having been kept too long.
  • Flat; vapid; tasteless.
    stale beer.
  • Hard and dry.
  • Low in oxygen content; stagnant.
    stale air.
adjective
0
0
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Having lost originality or newness; lacking in interest through familiarity or overuse; hackneyed; trite.

A stale joke, stale gossip.

adjective
0
0
Out of condition, ineffective, enervated, bored, etc. from either too much or too little activity.
adjective
0
0
(law) Having lost legal force or effect through lack of use or action, as a claim or lien.
adjective
0
0
(now rare) To make or become stale.
verb
0
0
Urine, as of horses or cattle.
noun
0
0
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Other Word Forms

Noun

Singular:
stale
Plural:
stales

Adjective

Base Form:
stale
Comparative:
staler
Superlative:
stalest

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

Stale Sentence Examples

  • The room smelled of stale air and mold.

  • The copper tray hit the bottom of the can with a loud clatter, spewing ashes into the stale office air.

  • Prince Vasili always spoke languidly, like an actor repeating a stale part.

  • She quickly put the plates in the dishwasher and dumped the stale water from the frying pan.

  • It had the stale smell of an abandoned building.

More sentences

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Words near stale in the Dictionary