/plat"n/ , n.
1. a flat plate in a printing press for pressing the paper against the inked type or plate to produce an impression.
2. a rotating cylinder used for the same purpose.
3. the roller of a typewriter.
4. (on a planing machine or the like) the bed to which the work is fastened.
5. (on a testing machine) a plate for applying compression to a sample.
[ 1400-50; earlier platyne, late ME plateyne chalice cover platine. See PLATE 1 , -INE 1 ]