# shallow

> English word · Adjective · IPA /ˈʃæl.oʊ/ · frequency rank #6,733

## Definitions
1. Having little depth; significantly less deep than wide.
2. Extending not far downward.
3. Concerned mainly with superficial matters.
4. Lacking interest or substance; flat; one-dimensional.
5. Not intellectually deep; not penetrating deeply; simple; not wise or knowing.
6. Not deep in tone.
7. Not far forward, close to the net.
8. Not steep; close to horizontal.

## Etymology
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.

## Easily confused with
- **shalom** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/shallow-vs-shalom)
- **swallow** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/shallow-vs-swallow)
- **shallows** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/shallow-vs-shallows)
- **shall** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/shall-vs-shallow)
- **shadow** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/shadow-vs-shallow)
- **scallop** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/scallop-vs-shallow)

## Common misspellings (9)
`hsallow`, `sahllow`, `shalloww`, `shallwo`, `shalolw`, `shalow`, `shhallow`, `shlalow`, `sshallow`

## Source
Compiled from Wiktionary via kaikki.org (CC BY-SA). Data vintage: 2026-05-06.
Canonical page: https://plainspell.com/en/word/shallow