plane

1 of 7

noun (1)

ˈplān 

1

a

[by shortening] : airplane

b

: one of the main supporting surfaces of an airplane

2

a

: a surface in which if any two points are chosen a straight line joining them lies wholly in that surface

b

: a flat or level surface

3

: a level of existence, consciousness, or development

on the intellectual plane

plane

2 of 7

verb (1)

planed; planing

transitive verb

1

a

: to make smooth or even : level

b

: to make smooth or even by use of a plane

2

: to remove by or as if by planing

—often used with away or off

intransitive verb

1

: to work with a plane

2

: to do the work of a plane

planer noun

plane

3 of 7

noun (2)

: a tool for smoothing or shaping a wood surface

Illustration of plane

• ³plane

plane

4 of 7

noun (3)

: any of a genus (Platanus of the family Platanaceae, the plane-tree family) of chiefly deciduous trees with large palmately lobed leaves, flowers in globose heads, and usually scaling bark

called also buttonwood, plane tree, sycamore

plane

5 of 7

verb (2)

planed; planing

intransitive verb

1

a

: to fly while keeping the wings motionless

b

: to skim across the surface of the water

2

: to travel by airplane

plane

6 of 7

adjective

1

: having no elevations or depressions : flat

2

a

: of, relating to, or dealing with geometric planes

b

: lying in a plane

a plane curve

planer

7 of 7

noun (4)

plan·​er

ˈplānə(r)

plural -s

: one that planes: such as

a

: a machine tool consisting essentially of a fixed bed, a reciprocating table to which the work is secured, and a device for holding the cutting tool stationary while each cut is taken and for moving the tool in position for the succeeding cut at the end of each cutting stroke, the power for moving the table being usually transmitted to the table from the driving shaft through a train of gears see closed planer, crank plane, openside planer, rotary planer, shaping planer

b

: a power tool for surfacing wood by means of a cutting tool that rotates across the width of the board that is fed under it

c

: a smooth-faced block of wood that is laid on the surface of type and tapped with a mallet to level the type or make a stone proof

d

: a grader with several blades to distribute and smooth earth or pavement material

e

: a worker who planes wood, stone, or metal

Synonyms of plane

Noun (1)

• airplane
• aeroplane

Verb (1)

• smooth
• shave

Verb (2)

• fly
• wing
• hover

Adjective

• level
• smooth
• flat
• horizontal
• exact

Choose the Right Synonym for plane

level, flat, plane, even, smooth mean having a surface without bends, curves, or irregularities.

level applies to a horizontal surface that lies on a line parallel with the horizon.

the vast prairies are nearly level

flat applies to a surface devoid of noticeable curvatures, prominences, or depressions.

the work surface must be flat

plane applies to any real or imaginary flat surface in which a straight line between any two points on it lies wholly within that surface.

the plane sides of a crystal

even applies to a surface that is noticeably flat or level or to a line that is observably straight.

trim the hedge so it is even

smooth applies especially to a polished surface free of irregularities.

a smooth skating rink

Examples of plane in a Sentence

Noun (1)

a plane flew overhead

Verb (1)

planed the wood for the picnic table perfectly smooth so that no one would get splinters

Verb (2)

an eagle planed effortlessly overhead, gliding on an air current

Adjective

you can do these tracings on any plane surface

Recent Examples on the Web

Noun

The fourth plane was headed for Washington, officials concluded, but the aircraft went down in Pennsylvania after passengers and crew members stormed the cockpit and fought the hijackers. — Arkansas Online, 12 Sep. 2026

Speaking of Tom Cruise, while shooting outdoors in Friday Harbor, Washington, production came to a halt because a plane kept flying overhead doing endless loop-de-loops. — Griffin Dunne, Vanity Fair, 11 Sep. 2026

Before that day, Americans could not really conceive of an attack like this one — passenger planes slammed into high-rise buildings, the Pentagon, a Pennsylvania field in the deadliest act of coordinated violence this nation has ever seen. — Orlando Sentinel Editorial Board, The Orlando Sentinel, 11 Sep. 2026

Earlier, in a downpour at daybreak, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth and top military officials stood outside and watched as a giant American flag was unfurled on the building struck by one of those planes a quarter century ago. — ABC News, 11 Sep. 2026

Word History

Etymology

Noun (1) and Noun (4)

Latin planum, from neuter of planus level

Verb (1)

Middle English, from Anglo-French planer, from Late Latin planare, from Latin planus level — more at floor

Noun (2)

Middle English, from Anglo-French, from Late Latin plana, from planare

Noun (3)

Middle English, from Anglo-French, from Latin platanus, from Greek platanos; probably akin to Greek platys broad — more at place

Verb (2)

Middle English, from Middle French planer, from plain level, plain

Adjective

Latin planus

First Known Use

Noun (1)

1604, in the meaning defined at sense 2a

Verb (1)

14th century, in the meaning defined at transitive sense 1a

Noun (2)

14th century, in the meaning defined above

Noun (3)

14th century, in the meaning defined above

Verb (2)

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Adjective

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Phrases Containing plane

• aerospace plane
• block plane
• Cartesian plane
• complex plane
• equatorial plane
• focal plane
• half plane
• inclined plane
• jack plane
• London plane
• plane angle
• plane geometry
• plane of polarization
• plane-polarized
• plane table
• pontoon plane
• pursuit plane
• rocket plane
• tangent plane

Rhymes for plane

• ane
• bane
• blain
• brain
• cane
• chaine
• cheyne
• deign
• drain
• fain
• fane
• feign

Kids Definition

plane

1 of 5 verb

ˈplān 

planed; planing

1

: to make smooth or level especially with a plane

2

: to remove by planing

—often used with away or off

planer noun

plane

2 of 5 noun

: a tool for smoothing or shaping wood

plane

3 of 5 noun

1

a

: a surface in which a straight line joining any two points on the surface also lies completely on the surface

b

: a flat or level surface

2

: a level of existence or development

on the intellectual plane

3

a

: one of the main supporting surfaces of an airplane

b

: airplane

plane

4 of 5 adjective

1

: having no elevations or depressions : flat

2

a

: of, relating to, or dealing with planes

plane geometry

b

: lying within a plane

a plane curve

plane

5 of 5 verb

planed; planing

1

: to fly while keeping the wings still

2

: to travel by airplane

Etymology

Verb

Middle English planen "to make smooth or level," from early French planer (same meaning), derived from Latin planus "level" — related to plain entry 1

Adjective

from Latin planus "level"

Verb

from French planer "to fly while keeping the wings motionless," from plain "level, plain"; so called from the fact that the wings of a soaring bird form a level surface

Medical Definition

plane

noun

ˈplān 

1

a

: a surface that contains at least three points not all in a straight line and is such that a line drawn through any two points in it lies wholly in the surface

b

: an imaginary plane used to identify parts of the body or a part of the skull see frankfort horizontal plane, midsagittal plane

2

: a stage in surgical anesthesia

a light plane of anesthesia is maintained with cyclopropane

—The Journal of the American Medical Association