Blackboard vs. Slate — What's the Difference?

A blackboard (also known as a chalkboard) is a reusable writing surface on which text or drawings are made with sticks of calcium sulphate or calcium carbonate, known, when used for this purpose, as chalk. Blackboards were originally made of smooth, thin sheets of black or dark grey slate stone.

Slate is a fine-grained, foliated, homogeneous metamorphic rock derived from an original shale-type sedimentary rock composed of clay or volcanic ash through low-grade regional metamorphism. It is the finest grained foliated metamorphic rock.

A large board with a smooth dark surface attached to a wall or supported on an easel and used by teachers in schools for writing on with chalk.

A fine-grained metamorphic rock that splits into thin, smooth-surfaced layers.

A smooth, hard, dark-colored panel for writing on with chalk.

A piece of this rock cut for use as roofing or surfacing material or as a writing surface.

A large flat surface, finished with black slate or a similar material, that can be written upon with chalk and subsequently erased; a chalkboard.

A writing tablet made of a similar material.

To use a blackboard to assist in an informal discussion.

A record of past performance or activity

A broad board painted black, or any black surface on which writing, drawing, or the working of mathematical problems can be done with chalk or crayons. It is much used in schools. In late 20th century similar boards of a green slate as well as some colored white became common; wrioting on the slate bioards may be done with chalk, but writing on the white boards is done with colored pens, such as grease pens, which leaves a trace that can be easily erased. The newer boards, usualy called chalkboards are nevertheless still sometimes referred to as blackboards.

A list of the candidates of a political party running for various offices.

Sheet of slate; for writing with chalk

A dark or bluish gray to dark bluish or dark purplish gray.

Made of a fine-grained metamorphic rock

Of the color slate.

To cover (a roof, for example) with slate.

To put on a list of candidates.

To schedule or designate

A fine-grained homogeneous sedimentary rock composed of clay or volcanic ash which has been metamorphosed so that it cleaves easily into thin layers.

(uncountable) The bluish-grey colour of most slate.

(countable) A chalkboard, sheet of slate for writing on with chalk or with a thin rod of slate (a slate pencil) formerly commonly used by both students and teachers in schools.

(countable) A roofing-tile made of slate.

(countable) A record of money owed.

A list of affiliated candidates for an election.

An artificial material resembling slate and used for the same purposes.

A thin plate of any material; a flake.

A tablet computer.

Having the bluish-grey/gray colour of slate.

(transitive) To cover with slate.

To criticise harshly.

To schedule.

To anticipate or strongly expect.

To set a dog upon (a person).

To nominate, appoint, or designate.

An argillaceous rock which readily splits into thin plates; argillite; argillaceous schist.

Any rock or stone having a slaty structure.

A prepared piece of such stone.

An artificial material, resembling slate, and used for the above purposes.

A thin plate of any material; a flake.

A list of candidates, prepared for nomination or for election; a list of candidates, or a programme of action, devised beforehand.

To cover with slate, or with a substance resembling slate; as, to slate a roof; to slate a globe.

To register (as on a slate and subject to revision), for an appointment.

To set a dog upon; to bait; to slat. See 2d Slat, 3.

(formerly) a writing tablet made of slate

Thin layers of rock used for roofing

A fine-grained metamorphic rock that can be split into thin layers

A list of candidates nominated by a political party to run for election to public offices

Designate or schedule;

Enter on a list or slate for an election;

Cover with slate;