Meaning of stale in English

1. Pronunciation

   /steɪl/

   US accent

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   UK accent

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1. Verb

   stale

   Etymology

   late Middle English: perhaps from Old French estaler‘come to a stand, halt’ (compare with stale)

   Definitions

   1. urinate, of cattle and horses

2. Classifying Adjective

   stale

   Definitions

   1. lacking originality or spontaneity

   Examples

   • « no longer new »
   • « moth-eaten theories about race »

   Synonyms

   • unoriginal
3. 2. no longer new

   Examples

   • « uninteresting »
   • « cold (or stale) news »

   Synonyms

   • old

4. Qualitative Adjective

   stale

   Etymology

   Middle English (describing beer in the sense ‘clear from long standing, strong’): probably from Anglo-Norman French and Old French, from estaler‘to halt’; compare with the verb stall

   Definitions

   1. showing deterioration from age

   Examples

   • « stale bread »

   Synonyms

   • addled
   • bad
   • spoiled
   • spoilt
   • cold
   • day-old
   • flyblown
   • maggoty
   • hard
   • limp
   • wilted
   • moldy
   • mouldy
   • musty
   • rancid

   Antonyms

   • fresh

See also

• old
• unoriginal