plateau

¹pla·teau

noun \pla-ˈtō, ˈpla-ˌ\

plural plateaus or pla·teaux \-ˈtōz, -ˌtōz\

Definition of PLATEAU

1

a : a usually extensive land area having a relatively level surface raised sharply above adjacent land on at least one side : tableland

b : a similar undersea feature

2

a : a region of little or no change in a graphic representation

b : a relatively stable level, period, or condition

3

: a level of attainment or achievement <the 500-point plateau>

Examples of PLATEAU

1. a plateau covering hundreds of miles
2. The price of gas seems to have reached a plateau.

Origin of PLATEAU

French, from Middle French, platter, from plat flat

First Known Use: 1796

Related to PLATEAU

Synonyms

altiplano, mesa, table, tableland

Related Words

butte, dome, height, highland, upland; karoo (or karroo), puna

Other Geology Terms

anthracite, boulder, cwm, erratic, igneous, intrusive, mesa, sedimentary, silt, swale

Rhymes with PLATEAU

aglow, ago, airflow, airglow, air show, alow, although, archfoe, argot, a throw, backflow, backhoe, bandeau, Baotou, barlow, bateau, below, bestow, big toe, bon mot, bravo, by-blow, cachepot, callow, caló, Carlow, cash flow, chapeau, Chi-Rho, cockcrow, Cocteau, cornrow, corn snow, crossbow, Cousteau, Darrow, Day-Glo, dayglow, death row, Defoe, de trop, deathblow, deco, down-bow, dumb show, elbow, escrow, fencerow, flambeau, floor show, flyblow, fogbow, forego, foreknow, forgo, freak show, free throw, Freneau, Fuzhou, galop, game show, genro, gigot, Glencoe, go-slow, Gounod, Guangzhou, gung ho, guyot, Hadow, Hangzhou, Hankow, Harrow, heave-ho, hedgerow, heigh-ho, hello, hollo, horse show, ice floe, ice show, inflow, in tow, Io, jabot, jambeau, Jane Doe, jim crow, Jinzhou, Joe Blow, Jiaozhou, John Doe, Juneau, Hounslow, kayo, KO, Lanzhou, lie low, light show, longbow, low blow, Luchow, macho, mahoe, maillot, mallow, manteau, Marlowe, Marot, marrow, matelot, merlot, Meursault, minnow, Miró, misknow, Moho, mojo, morceau, morrow, Moscow, mucro, mudflow, Murrow, nightglow, no-no, no-show, nouveau, oboe, outflow, outgo, outgrow, oxbow, peep show, Pernod, picot, pronto, Quanzhou, quiz show, rainbow, Rameau, red snow, reflow, regrow, repo, reseau, road show, rondeau, rondo, roscoe, Roseau, rouleau, sabot, Saint-Lô, salchow, scarecrow, self-sow, serow, shadblow, Shantou, sideshow, skid row, ski tow, Soho, so-so, sound bow, sourdough, stone's throw, sunbow, Suzhou, tableau, Taizhou, talk show, tiptoe, Thoreau, tone row, tonneau, trade show, trousseau, Trudeau, uh-oh, unsew, up-bow, upthrow, van Gogh, wallow, Wenzhou, Wicklow, widow, willow, windrow, windthrow, winnow, Winslow, Wuzhou, Xuzhou, Yalow, yarrow, Zhangzhou, Zhengzhou, Zibo

²plateau

intransitive verb

Definition of PLATEAU

: to reach a level, period, or condition of stability or maximum attainment

Examples of PLATEAU

1. Sales of computers have plateaued in recent years.

First Known Use of PLATEAU

1939

pla·teau

noun \pla-ˈtō, ˈpla-ˌ\   (Medical Dictionary)

plural ; plateausor ; pla·teaux \-ˈtōz, -ˌtōz\

Medical Definition of PLATEAU

: a relatively flat elevated area—see tibial plateau

plateau

noun    (Concise Encyclopedia)

Extensive area of flat upland, usually bounded by an escarpment on all sides but sometimes enclosed by mountains. Plateaus are extensive, and together with enclosed basins they cover about 45% of the Earth's land surface. The essential criteria for a plateau are low relative relief and some altitude. Low relief distinguishes plateaus from mountains, although their origin may be similar. Plateaus, being high, often create their own local climate; the topography of plateaus and their surroundings often produce arid and semiarid conditions.