shallow

CEFRB2

/ˈʃæləʊ/

adjective

Türkçe translations

Translating…

In plain English

  1. 01

    adjective

    Not deep from the top to the bottom.

  2. 02

    adjective

    Lacking serious thought, feeling, or knowledge.

Examples

  • The curriculum of this school is wide and shallow.

  • The pond is too shallow for swimming.

At a glance

Sits at B2 on the CEFR scale

Senses
5
Parts of speech
1
Citations
5
Synonyms
2

Also pronounced

  • /ˈʃæloʊ/
  • /ˈʃalo/

Deep Dive

adjective

Extra meanings

  1. Concerned mainly with superficial matters.

  2. Extending not far downward.

  3. Having little depth; lacking depth of intellect or knowledge.

More examples

In context

  • I don't like his shallow personality.

  • Sauté the onions in a shallow pan.

  • The water is shallow here.

Synonyms

Antonyms

Quick test

Two questions on this entry. Nothing is scored.

Question 1 · Quick check

The children could stand in the blank end of the pool since it was only three feet deep.

Practise this properly in the app, where the word comes back before you forget it.

Nearby

Origin

adjective

From Middle English schalowe (“not deep, shallow”); apparently related to Middle English schalde, schold, scheld, schealde (“shallow”), from Old English sċeald (“shallow”), from Proto-Germanic *skal-, from Proto-Indo-European *(s)kelh₁- (“to parch, dry out”). Related to Low German Scholl (“shallow water”). See also shoal.