n.
Pronunciation: ' pl ā t
Function: noun
Etymology: Middle English, from Anglo-French, from plate, feminine of plat flat, from Vulgar Latin *plattus, probably from Greek platys broad, flat ― more at PLACE
Date: 14th century
1 a : a smooth flat thin piece of material b (1) : forged, rolled, or cast metal in sheets usually thicker than 1/4 inch (6 millimeters) (2) : a very thin layer of metal deposited on a surface of base metal by plating c : one of the broad metal pieces used in armor also : armor of such plates d (1) : a thin relatively flat anatomical part (as a lamina of bone) of an animal body especially : SCUTE (2) : the thin under portion of the forequarter of beef especially : the fatty back part ― see BEEF illustration e : HOME PLATE f : any of the large movable segments into which the earth's lithosphere is divided according to the theory of plate tectonics
2 [Middle English; partly from Anglo-French plate plate, bullion; partly from Old Spanish plata silver, from Vulgar Latin *platta metal plate, from feminine of plattus flat] a obsolete : a silver coin b : precious metal especially : silver bullion
3 [ Middle English, from Anglo-French plat, plate dish, plate, from plat flat] a : domestic hollowware made of or plated with gold, silver, or base metals b : a shallow usually circular vessel from which food is eaten or served c (1) : a quantity to fill a plate : PLATEFUL (2) : a main course served on a plate (3) : food and service supplied to one person <a dinner at $10 a plate > d (1) : a prize given to the winner in a contest (2) British : a horse race in which the contestants compete for a prize of fixed value rather than stakes e : a dish or pouch passed during collections f : a flat glass or plastic dish used chiefly for culturing microorganisms
4 a : a prepared surface from which printing is done b : a sheet of material (as glass or plastic) coated with a light-sensitive photographic emulsion c : a metallic grid with its interstices filled with active material that forms one of the structural units of a battery d : LICENSE PLATE
5 : a horizontal structural member that provides bearing and anchorage especially for the trusses of a roof or the rafters
6 : the part of a denture that fits to the mouth broadly : DENTURE
7 : a full-page illustration often on different paper from the text pages
8 : a schedule of matters to deal with <have a lot on my plate now>
– plate · like \ - ˌ l ī k \ adjective
– on a plate : without having been earned : as a gift <goals were handed to them on a plate >