plaque

play

noun \ ˈplak \

Definition of plaque

1 a :an ornamental brooch; especially :the badge of an honorary order

b :a flat thin piece (as of metal) used for decoration

c :a commemorative or identifying inscribed tablet

2 a :a localized abnormal patch on a body part or surface

b :a sticky usually colorless film on teeth that is formed by and harbors bacteria

c :an atherosclerotic lesion

d :a histopathologic lesion of brain tissue that is characteristic of Alzheimer's disease and consists of a dense proteinaceous core composed primarily of beta-amyloid that is often surrounded and infiltrated by a cluster of degenerating axons and dendrites

3 :a clear area in a bacterial culture produced by viral destruction of cells

See plaque defined for English-language learners

See plaque defined for kids

Examples of plaque in a Sentence

A bronze plaque marked the city's oldest building.
They gave him a plaque in honor of his 30 years of service.
Brushing your teeth prevents the buildup of plaque.
The scientists are studying the way the plaques form.

Recent Examples of plaque from the Web

In recent years, vandals, never found by the police, painted slogans on the statue, poured red paint on it, slashed the tires of Mr. Milnes’s car and defaced plaques in front of two houses where Macdonald once lived.

— ian austen, New York Times, "Canada, Too, Faces a Reckoning With History and Racism," 28 Aug. 2017
That leads to inflammation and eventually, arterial plaques.

— jennifer couzin-frankel, Science | AAAS, "Anti-inflammatory cuts risk of heart attack," 27 Aug. 2017
The monument at the Mount Hope Cemetery that names Gen. Stonewall Jackson is on a plot owned by the group that donated the Davis plaque — the United Daughters of the Confederacy.

— city news service, sandiegouniontribune.com, "Petition targets removal of Confederate monument in city-owned cemetery," 22 Aug. 2017
Dash plaques for first 200 registered cars and awards presented at 4 p.m. Rain or shine.

— rasputin todd, Cincinnati.com, "Things to do this week: Aug. 21-27," 21 Aug. 2017
That plaque stands just blocks away from where Heather Heyer was killed Saturday.

— vann r. newkirk ii, The Atlantic, "Black Charlottesville has Seen This All Before," 18 Aug. 2017
The 1926 plaque honored San Diego as the Western terminus of the Jefferson Davis Highway between Virginia and California.

— Bloomberg.com, "Here Are the Confederate Monuments Getting Removed in U.S. Cities," 17 Aug. 2017
Darnell droned on for fifteen minutes about commemorative plaques on trees.

— leslie anne tarabella, AL.com, "Proper meeting etiquette," 16 Aug. 2017
The two plaques outside St. John’s Episcopal Church in Brooklyn will be removed on Wednesday, a church leader told Newsday.

— robert newhouse, Teen Vogue, "Baltimore Removed Confederate Statues at Night," 16 Aug. 2017

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'plaque.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Origin and Etymology of plaque

French, from Middle French, metal sheet, from plaquer to plate, from Middle Dutch placken to piece, patch; akin to Middle Dutch placke piece, Middle High German placke patch

NEW! Time Traveler

First Known Use: 1845

See Words from the same year

Other Dentistry Terms

bridge, crown, tush

PLAQUE Defined for English Language Learners

plaque

play

noun

Definition of plaque for English Language Learners

: a flat, thin piece of metal or wood with writing on it that is used especially as a reminder of something (such as a historic event or an achievement)
: a thin coating that forms on teeth and contains bacteria
medical : a change in brain tissue that occurs in Alzheimer's disease