Word Origin & History
shingle"thin piece of wood," c.1200, scincle, from L.L. scindula, altered (by influence of Gk. schidax "lath" or schindalmos "splinter") from L. scandula "roof tile," from scindere "to cleave, split," from PIE base *sked- "to split." Meaning "small signboard" is first attested 1842; that of "woman's short haircut"
is from 1924. The verb meaning "to cut the hair so as to give the impression of overlapping shingles" is from 1857.
shingle"loose stones on seashore," 1513, probably related to Norw. singl "small stones," or N.Fris. singel "gravel," both said to be echoic of the sound of water running over pebbles.