tile

1 of 2

noun

ˈtī(-ə)l 

often attributive

1

plural tiles or tile

a

: a flat or curved piece of fired clay, stone, or concrete used especially for roofs, floors, or walls and often for ornamental work

b

: a hollow or a semicircular and open earthenware or concrete piece used in constructing a drain

c

: a hollow building unit made of fired clay or of shale or gypsum

2

: tiling

3

: a thin piece of resilient material (such as cork, linoleum, or rubber) used especially for covering floors or walls

4

: a thin piece resembling a ceramic tile that usually bears a mark or letter and is used as a playing piece in a board game (such as mah-jongg)

5

: hat

especially : a high silk hat

tile

2 of 2

verb

tiled; tiling

transitive verb

1

: to cover with tiles

2

: to install drainage tile in

tiler noun

Phrases

on the tiles

British

: engaged in late-night carousing

Examples of tile in a Sentence

Noun

We installed new tile in the kitchen.

Verb

We hired him to tile the bathroom floor.

Recent Examples on the Web

Noun

Color & Geometry Non-Slip Bath Mat Gone are the days of stepping out of the shower and onto cold tile or a soggy bath mat. —Mia Huelsbeck, PEOPLE, 25 Oct. 2025

Unlike throw pillows or artwork, big-ticket trends like tile, cabinetry, and custom features are expensive and time-consuming to change. —Lauren Bengtson, Better Homes & Gardens, 25 Oct. 2025

Verb

Sara San Angelo is a professional home cleaner and the founder of Confessions of a Cleaning Lady in Charleston, South Carolina, recommends cleaning your bathroom tile once a week if possible. —Daley Quinn, Southern Living, 26 Oct. 2025

But Schwindt’s goal three and a half minutes into the final period tiled the ice. —Adam H. Beasley, Miami Herald, 26 Oct. 2025

Word History

Etymology

Noun

Middle English, from Old English tigele, from Latin tegula tile; akin to Latin tegere to cover — more at thatch

First Known Use

Noun

before the 12th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Verb

13th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Rhymes for tile

• aisle
• bile
• chyle
• file
• guile
• heil
• isle
• kyle
• mile
• pile
• rile
• smile

Kids Definition

tile

1 of 2 noun

ˈtī(ə)l 

1

plural tiles or tile

a

: a flat or curved piece (as of fired clay, stone, or concrete) used especially for roofs or floors

b

: a pipe of earthenware used for a drain

2

: a thin piece of material (as linoleum or rubber) for covering floors or walls

tile

2 of 2 verb

tiled; tiling

: to cover with tiles