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Stale in Scrabble and Meaning

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What does stale mean? Is stale a Scrabble word?

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Is stale a Scrabble word?

Yes. The word stale is a Scrabble US word. The word stale is worth 5 points in Scrabble:

S1T1A1L1E1

Is stale a Scrabble UK word?

Yes. The word stale is a Scrabble UK word and has 5 points:

S1T1A1L1E1

Is stale a Words With Friends word?

Yes. The word stale is a Words With Friends word. The word stale is worth 6 points in Words With Friends (WWF):

S1T1A1L2E1

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Valid words made from Stale

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Results

5-letter words (12 found)

LEAST,LEATS,SALET,SETAL,SLATE,STALE,STEAL,STELA,TAELS,TALES,TEALS,TESLA,

4-letter words (31 found)

ALES,ALTS,ATES,EAST,EATS,ELTS,ETAS,LASE,LAST,LATE,LATS,LEAS,LEAT,LEST,LETS,SALE,SALT,SATE,SEAL,SEAT,SETA,SLAE,SLAT,TAEL,TAES,TALE,TASE,TEAL,TEAS,TELA,TELS,

3-letter words (27 found)

ALE,ALS,ALT,ATE,ATS,EAS,EAT,ELS,ELT,EST,ETA,LAS,LAT,LEA,LES,LET,SAE,SAL,SAT,SEA,SEL,SET,TAE,TAS,TEA,TEL,TES,

2-letter words (12 found)

AE,AL,AS,AT,EA,EL,ES,ET,LA,ST,TA,TE,

1-letter words (1 found)

E,

You can make 83 words from stale according to the Scrabble US and Canada dictionary.

All 5 letters words made out of stale

stale tsale satle astle tasle atsle stlae tslae sltae lstae tlsae ltsae salte aslte slate lsate alste laste talse atlse tlase ltase altse latse stael tsael satel astel tasel atsel steal tseal setal estal tesal etsal saetl asetl seatl esatl aestl eastl taesl atesl teasl etasl aetsl eatsl stlea tslea sltea lstea tlsea ltsea stela tsela setla estla tesla etsla sleta lseta selta eslta lesta elsta tlesa ltesa telsa etlsa letsa eltsa salet aslet slaet lsaet alset laset saelt aselt sealt esalt aeslt easlt sleat lseat selat eslat lesat elsat alest laest aelst ealst least elast tales atles tlaes ltaes altes lates taels atels teals etals aetls eatls tleas lteas telas etlas letas eltas alets laets aelts ealts leats elats

Note: these 'words' (valid or invalid) are all the permutations of the word stale. These words are obtained by scrambling the letters in stale.

Definitions and meaning of stale

stale

Pronunciation

  • enPR: stāl, IPA(key): /steɪl/
  • Rhymes: -eɪl

Etymology 1

From Middle English stale, from Old French estale (“settled, clear”), but probably originally from Proto-Germanic *stāną (“to stand”): compare West Flemish stel in the same sense for ‘beer’ and ‘urine’.

Adjective

stale (comparative staler, superlative stalest)

  1. (alcoholic beverages, obsolete) Clear, free of dregs and lees; old and strong.
  2. No longer fresh, in reference to food, urine, straw, wounds, etc.
    • c. 1550, Wyll of Deuill, C 2 b:
      New freshe blood to ouersprinkle their stale mete that it may seme...newly kylled.
  3. No longer fresh, new, or interesting, in reference to ideas and immaterial things; clichéd, hackneyed, dated.
    • 1579, in G. Harvey, letter book, 60:
      Doist thou smyle to reade this stale and beggarlye stuffe.
  4. (obsolete) No longer nubile or suitable for marriage, in reference to people; past one's prime.
  5. (in general) Not new or recent; having been in place or in effect for some time.
  6. (agriculture, obsolete) Fallow, in reference to land.
  7. (law) Unreasonably long in coming, in reference to claims and actions.
  8. Worn out, particularly due to age or over-exertion, in reference to athletes and animals in competition.
  9. (finance) Out of date, unpaid for an unreasonable amount of time, particularly in reference to checks.
  10. (computing) Of data: out of date; not synchronized with the newest copy.
Usage notes

In the sense regarding food, usually (but not always) pejorative and synonymous with gone bad and turned. In reference to mead, wine, and bread, it can describe an acceptable or desired state (see crouton). In modern English, however, "stale beer" has been light struck, flat, or oxidized and is to be avoided.

Synonyms
  • see also Thesaurus:hackneyed
Antonyms
  • fresh
Derived terms
Related terms
  • go stale
  • stale drunk
Translations

Noun

stale (plural stales)

  1. (colloquial) Something stale; a loaf of bread or the like that is no longer fresh.

Verb

stale (third-person singular simple present stales, present participle staling, simple past and past participle staled)

  1. (of alcohol, obsolete, transitive) To make stale; to age in order to clear and strengthen (a drink, especially beer).
  2. (transitive) To make stale; to cause to go out of fashion or currency; to diminish the novelty or interest of, particularly by excessive exposure or consumption.
  3. (intransitive) To become stale; to grow odious from excessive exposure or consumption.
  4. (alcoholic beverages, intransitive) To become stale; to grow unpleasant from age.
Derived terms
  • antistaling
Translations

Etymology 2

From Middle English stale, from Old English stalu, from Proto-Germanic *stal-; compare English stell from this root. The development was paralleled by the ablaut which became English steal, from Middle English stele, from Old English stela, from Proto-Germanic *stel-. Both are from the same Proto-Indo-European root *stel-, *stol- (“to place, establish”), whence also Ancient Greek στελεός (steleós, “handle”). See also English stele.

Noun

stale (plural stales)

  1. A long, thin handle (of rakes, axes, etc.)
  2. (dialectal) One of the posts or uprights of a ladder.
  3. One of the rungs on a ladder.
  4. (botany, obsolete) The stem of a plant.
  5. The shaft of an arrow, spear, etc.
Alternative forms
  • stele (botanical, preferred)
  • steal, stele (dialectal)
  • steel, stail (archaic)
Synonyms
  • handle (grip of tools, generally)
  • haft (grip of tools, generally, and especially of axes)
  • helve (grip of tools, generally)
  • shaft (body of arrows, spears, etc.)
  • snath, the shaft of a scythe
  • stem (plants)
Translations

Verb

stale (third-person singular simple present stales, present participle staling, simple past and past participle staled)

  1. (transitive, obsolete) To make a ladder by joining rungs ("stales") between the posts.

Etymology 3

From Middle English stale, from Old French estal (“place, something placed”) (compare French étal), from Frankish stal, from Proto-Germanic *stallaz, earlier *staþlaz. Related to stall and stand.

Noun

stale (plural stales)

  1. (military, obsolete) A fixed position, particularly a soldier's in a battle-line.
  2. (chess, uncommon) A stalemate; a stalemated game.
  3. (military, obsolete) An ambush.
  4. (obsolete) A band of armed men or hunters.
    • 1577, R. Holinshed, Hist. Scotl., 471 2 in Chron., I:
      The Lard of Drunlanrig lying al thys while in ambush...forbare to breake out to gyue anye charge vppon his enimies, doubting least the Earle of Lennox hadde kept a stale behynde.
  5. (Scotland, military, obsolete) The main force of an army.
Derived terms

Adjective

stale (not comparable)

  1. (chess, obsolete) At a standstill; stalemated.
    • c. 1470, Ashmolean MS 344, 21:
      Then drawith he & is stale.

Verb

stale (third-person singular simple present stales, present participle staling, simple past and past participle staled)

  1. (chess, uncommon, transitive) To stalemate.
    • c. 1470, Ashmole MS 344, 7:
      He shall stale þe black kyng in the pointe þer the crosse standith.
  2. (chess, obsolete, intransitive) To be stalemated.

Etymology 4

Noun from Middle English stale, from Anglo-Norman estal (“urine”), from Middle Dutch stal (“urine”). Cognate with Middle Low German stal (“horse urine; bowel movement”). Verb from Middle English stalen, from Old French estaler (“urinate”), related to Middle High German stallen (“to piss”).

Noun

stale (uncountable)

  1. (livestock, obsolete) Urine, especially used of horses and cattle.
Hypernyms
  • See Thesaurus:urine
Derived terms

Verb

stale (third-person singular simple present stales, present participle staling, simple past and past participle staled)

  1. (livestock, obsolete, intransitive) To urinate, especially used of horses and cattle.
    • 15th century, Lawis Gild, X in Ancient Laws and Customs of the Burghs of Scotland, 68:
      Gif ony stal in the yet of the gilde...he sall gif iiijd. to the mendis.
Usage notes

Occasionally transitive, when in reference to horses or men pissing blood.

Hypernyms
  • See Thesaurus:urinate
See also
  • piss like a racehorse (vulgar idiom)

Etymology 5

From Middle English stale (“bird used as a decoy”), probably from uncommon Anglo-Norman estale (“pigeon used to lure hawks”), ultimately from Proto-Germanic, probably *standaną (“to stand”). Compare Old English stælhran (“decoy reindeer”) and Northumbrian stællo (“catching fish”).

Noun

stale (plural stales)

  1. (falconry, hunting, obsolete) A live bird to lure birds of prey or others of its kind into a trap.
  2. (obsolete) Any lure, particularly in reference to people used as live bait.
    • c. 1529, "The Tunnyng of Elynour Rummyng", 324, in John Skelton, Certayne Bokes:
      She ran in all the hast
      Vnbrased and vnlast...
      It was a stale to take
      the deuyll in a brake.
  3. (crime, obsolete) An accomplice of a thief or criminal acting as bait.
  4. (obsolete) a partner whose beloved abandons or torments him in favor of another.
  5. (obsolete) A patsy, a pawn, someone used under some false pretext to forward another's (usu. sinister) designs; a stalking horse.
    • 1580, E. Grindal in 1710, J. Strype, Hist. E. Grindal, 252:
      That of the two nominated, one should be an unfit Man, and as it were a Stale, to bring the Office to the other.
  6. (crime, obsolete) A prostitute of the lowest sort; any wanton woman.
  7. (hunting, obsolete) Any decoy, either stuffed or manufactured.

Verb

stale (third-person singular simple present stales, present participle staling, simple past and past participle staled)

  1. (rare, obsolete, transitive) To serve as a decoy, to lure.

References

Anagrams

  • Astle, ETLAs, Slate, Teals, Tesla, astel, laste, lates, least, leats, salet, setal, slate, steal, stela, taels, tales, teals, telas, tesla

Friulian

Etymology

Of Germanic origin, ultimately from Proto-Germanic *stallaz. Compare Romansch stalla, stala, Italian stalla, Venetian stała.

Noun

stale f (plural stalis)

  1. cowshed
  2. stable, stall
  3. pigsty

Synonyms

  • (cowshed): vacjarìe

Middle English

Etymology 1

From Anglo-Norman estal (“urine”).

Pronunciation

  • IPA(key): /staːl/, /stal/

Noun

stale (uncountable)

  1. (Late Middle English, hapax) urine
    • 14th c., Stockh. Medical MS. in Anglia XVIII.299:
Descendants
  • English: stale
  • Yola: sthall
References
  • “stā̆le, n.(1).”, in MED Online, Ann Arbor, Mich.: University of Michigan, 2007.

Etymology 2

From Old English stalu (“theft”), from Proto-Germanic *stalō.

Alternative forms

  • stala (Early Middle English)

Pronunciation

  • IPA(key): /ˈstaːl(ə)/

Noun

stale (plural stales)

  1. theft; the act of stealing
  2. stealth (used in the phrase bi stale)
References
  • “stāle, n.(2).”, in MED Online, Ann Arbor, Mich.: University of Michigan, 2007.

Etymology 3

From Old English stalu (“a piece of wood into which a harp-string is fixed”).

Pronunciation

  • IPA(key): /ˈstaːl(ə)/

Noun

stale (plural stales)

  1. An upright of a ladder.
  2. A rung in a ladder; tier.
  3. The posts and rungs composing a ladder.
  4. A long, thin handle (of rakes, axes, etc.)
    • 12th century, Sidonius Glosses in Anecd. Oxon., I v 59 22:
    • c. 1393, Langland, Piers Plowman (Vesp. MS), C xxii 279:
  5. A shoot of a plant.
Related terms
  • stele
Descendants
  • English: stale

References

  • “stāle, n.(3).”, in MED Online, Ann Arbor, Mich.: University of Michigan, 2007.

Etymology 4

Borrowed from Old French estal, from Frankish stal, from Proto-Germanic *stallaz, earlier *staþlaz.

Pronunciation

  • IPA(key): /staːl/

Noun

stale

  1. a fixed position, particularly a soldier's in a battle-line
    • c. 1450, in C. L. Kingsford, Chrons. London (1905), 123:
  2. (chess) A stalemate; a stalemated game.
  3. an ambush
  4. a band of armed men or hunters
    • c. 1350, in N. H. Nicolas, Hist. Royal Navy (1847), II 491:
    • 14th century, Morte Arthur, 1355:
Descendants
  • English: stale
References
  • “stāle, n.(5).”, in MED Online, Ann Arbor, Mich.: University of Michigan, 2007.

Etymology 5

Probably from uncommon Anglo-Norman estale (“pigeon used to lure hawks”), ultimately from Proto-Germanic, probably *standaną (“to stand”).

Pronunciation

  • IPA(key): /ˈstaːl(ə)/

Noun

stale

  1. (falconry, hunting) A live bird to lure birds of prey or others of its kind into a trap
Descendants
  • English: stale
References
  • “stāl(e, n.(4).”, in MED Online, Ann Arbor, Mich.: University of Michigan, 2007.

Etymology 6

Borrowed from Old French estale (“settled, clear”), probably connected to Proto-Germanic *stāną (“to stand”).

Pronunciation

  • IPA(key): /ˈstaːl(ə)/

Adjective

stale

  1. (alcoholic beverages) clear, free of dregs and lees; old and strong
    • c. 1300, K. Horn (Laud), 383:
Descendants
  • English: stale
References
  • “stāl(e, adj.(1).”, in MED Online, Ann Arbor, Mich.: University of Michigan, 2007.

Etymology 7

From stale (“stalemate”) or stalen (“to stalemate”).

Pronunciation

  • IPA(key): /ˈstaːl(ə)/

Adjective

stale

  1. (hapax) Stalemated in chess.
References
  • “stāle, adj.(2).”, in MED Online, Ann Arbor, Mich.: University of Michigan, 2007.

Old Polish

Etymology

From stały +‎ -e. First attested in 1484.

Pronunciation

  • IPA(key): (10th–15th CE) /stalʲɛ/
  • IPA(key): (15th CE) /stalʲɛ/

Adverb

stale

  1. always, persistently

Descendants

  • Polish: stale
  • Silesian: stale

References

  • B. Sieradzka-Baziur, editor (2011–2015), “stale”, in Słownik pojęciowy języka staropolskiego [Conceptual Dictionary of Old Polish] (in Polish), Kraków: IJP PAN, →ISBN

Polish

Pronunciation

  • IPA(key): /ˈsta.lɛ/
  • (Middle Polish) IPA(key): /ˈsta.lɛ/
  • Rhymes: -alɛ
  • Syllabification: sta‧le

Etymology 1

Inherited from Old Polish stale. By surface analysis, stały +‎ -e. Compare Kashubian stale.

Adverb

stale (not comparable)

  1. constantly, continually
    Synonyms: bez ustanku, bezustannie, ciągle, furt, na okrągło, nieprzerwanie, nieustająco, nieustannie, ustawicznie, wciąż, wiecznie, zawsze
    Antonym: nigdy
  2. (obsolete) permanently, for good
    Synonyms: na dobre, na stałe
  3. (obsolete) decidedly
    Synonym: stanowczo

Etymology 2

See the etymology of the corresponding lemma form.

Noun

stale

  1. nominative/accusative/vocative plural of stal

Trivia

According to Słownik frekwencyjny polszczyzny współczesnej (1990), stale is one of the most used words in Polish, appearing 20 times in scientific texts, 4 times in news, 25 times in essays, 10 times in fiction, and 8 times in plays, each out of a corpus of 100,000 words, totaling 67 times, making it the 974th most common word in a corpus of 500,000 words.

References

Further reading

  • stale in Wielki słownik języka polskiego, Instytut Języka Polskiego PAN
  • stale in Polish dictionaries at PWN
  • Maria Renata Mayenowa, Stanisław Rospond, Witold Taszycki, Stefan Hrabec, Władysław Kuraszkiewicz (2010-2023) “stale”, in Słownik Polszczyzny XVI Wieku [A Dictionary of 16th Century Polish]
  • Samuel Bogumił Linde (1807–1814) “stale”, in Słownik języka polskiego‎[5]
  • Aleksander Zdanowicz (1861) “stale”, in Słownik języka polskiego, Wilno 1861‎[6]
  • J. Karłowicz, A. Kryński, W. Niedźwiedzki, editors (1915), “stale”, in Słownik języka polskiego‎[7] (in Polish), volume 6, Warsaw, page 385
  • stale in Narodowy Fotokorpus Języka Polskiego

Silesian

Etymology

Inherited from Old Polish stały. By surface analysis, stały +‎ -e.

Pronunciation

  • IPA(key): /ˈstalɛ/
  • Rhymes: -alɛ
  • Syllabification: sta‧le

Adverb

stale (not comparable)

  1. constantly, continually

Further reading

  • stale in silling.org

Source: wiktionary.org