slablike

Slablike is an adjective describing something that has the form or characteristics of a slab: a flat, broad, rigid element with a relatively small thickness compared with its length and width. Slablike objects are typically planar or near-planar, with a rectangular or irregular outline and surfaces that may be smooth or coarse depending on formation or processing. The term is used across disciplines to indicate a shape rather than a function.

In geology and mineralogy, slablike features include rock fragments or crystals that are flattened along a plane, such as tabular crystals or foliation that yields a slablike appearance. In construction and materials science, slabs are manufactured as flat, extended panels, while slablike forms describe pieces that resemble those structural elements—cut from stone, concrete, metal, or ceramic. In paleontology and biology, slablike shields or exoskeletal plates refer to broad, flat sections.

Common examples include marble or granite slabs; concrete slabs used for floors and pavements; and ceramic or glass slabs employed as countertops or tiles. The concept often serves as a descriptive placeholder rather than a strict classification, emphasizing relative thickness over other dimensions. Slablike objects are contrasted with sheets (very thin) and blocks or plates (thicker or more uniform, respectively).