place mat

noun

: a small often rectangular table mat on which a place setting is laid

Examples of place mat in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

The company sells silicone place mats and toys that attach to high chairs and strollers. —Christopher Rugaber, Los Angeles Times, 10 June 2026

Use place mats or tablecloths on your kitchen table to keep food spills, condensation from drinks, and utensils from marring or staining the surface. —Karen Brewer Grossman, Southern Living, 29 May 2026

Here, traditional Portuguese handicrafts—olive wood chopping boards, floral linen place mats—sit alongside more playful works by contemporary artisans and creatives. —Catarina Loureiro, Condé Nast Traveler, 8 May 2026

Sealed with a reactive blue finish, this 12-piece set looks like the ocean itself when paired with beige linen tablecloths and wicker place mats to mimic the sandy beach. —Kylie Petty, Better Homes & Gardens, 16 Apr. 2026

Word History

First Known Use

1928, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for place mat

• acrobat
• autocrat
• automat
• bundesrat
• bureaucrat
• butterfat
• caveat
• chemostat
• copycat
• cryostat
• democrat
• diplomat

Kids Definition

place mat

noun

: a small table mat on which a place setting is laid