plate

1 of 2

noun

ˈplāt 

plural plates

1

a

: a smooth flat thin piece of material

b(1)

: forged, rolled, or cast metal in sheets usually thicker than ¹/₄ inch (6 millimeters)

(2)

: a very thin layer of metal deposited on a surface of base metal by plating

c

: one of the broad metal pieces used in armor

also : armor of such plates

d(1)

: a thin relatively flat anatomical part (such as a lamina of bone) of an animal body

especially : scute

(2)

: the thin under portion of the forequarter of beef

especially : the fatty back part see beef illustration

e

: home plate

f

: any of the large movable segments into which the earth's lithosphere is divided according to the theory of plate tectonics

2

[Middle English; partly from Anglo-French plate plate, bullion; partly from Old Spanish plata silver, from Vulgar Latin *platta metal plate, from feminine of plattus flat]

a

obsolete : a silver coin

b

: precious metal

especially : silver bullion

3

[Middle English, from Anglo-French plat, plate dish, plate, from plat flat]

a

: domestic hollowware made of or plated with gold, silver, or base metals

b

: a shallow usually circular vessel from which food is eaten or served

c(1)

: a quantity to fill a plate : plateful

(2)

: a main course served on a plate

(3)

: food and service supplied to one person

a dinner at $10 a plate

d(1)

: a prize given to the winner in a contest

(2)

British : a horse race in which the contestants compete for a prize of fixed value rather than stakes

e

: a dish or pouch passed during collections

f

: a flat glass or plastic dish used chiefly for culturing cells and microorganisms

especially : petri dish see also agar plate

4

a

: a prepared surface from which printing is done

b

: a sheet of material (such as glass or plastic) coated with a light-sensitive photographic emulsion

c

: a metallic grid with its interstices filled with active material that forms one of the structural units of a battery

d

: license plate

5

: a horizontal structural member that provides bearing and anchorage especially for the trusses of a roof or the rafters

6

: the part of a denture that fits to the mouth

broadly : denture

7

: a full-page illustration often on different paper from the text pages

8

: a schedule of matters to deal with

have a lot on my plate now

platelike

ˈplāt-ˌlīk 

adjective

plate

2 of 2

verb

plated; plating

transitive verb

1

: to cover or equip with plate: such as

a

: to provide with armor plate

b

: to cover with an adherent layer mechanically, chemically, or electrically

also : to deposit (something, such as a layer) on a surface

2

: to make a printing surface from or for

3

: to fix or secure with a plate

4

: to cause (a runner) to score in baseball

5

: to arrange (food) on a plate or dish

Phrases

on a plate

: without having been earned : as a gift

goals were handed to them on a plate

Synonyms

Noun

• lamella
• lamina
• scale

Examples of plate in a Sentence

Noun

a plate of cheese and crackers

I ate a salad and a plate of spaghetti.

A shiny metal plate was screwed to the door.

He had a steel plate put in his shoulder after the accident.

Recent Examples on the Web

Noun

The 12 plate appearances over three straight hitless games is tied for second-longest drought of his young career. —Jeff Sanders, San Diego Union-Tribune, 17 May 2025

An all-German cheese plate for dessert was a standout—especially a raw milk, mushroomy beauty that oozed onto the plate. —Hannah Howard, Travel + Leisure, 17 May 2025

Verb

Once it was plated, Mr. Ortiz urged me to karate-chop it, producing decadent cheese crisps for dipping into guacamole. —Jake Naughton, New York Times, 14 May 2025

The way the dish was plated, though, knocked it out of the park. —Michael James Rocha, San Diego Union-Tribune, 9 May 2025

Word History

Etymology

Noun

Middle English, from Anglo-French, from plate, feminine of plat flat, from Vulgar Latin *plattus, probably from Greek platys broad, flat — more at place

First Known Use

Noun

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

Verb

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Phrases Containing plate

• agar plate
• at the plate
• bite plate
• blue plate
• cell plate
• clean one's plate
• end plate
• equatorial plate
• fashion plate
• home plate
• hot plate
• license plate
• metaphase plate
• neural plate
• number plate
• on one's plate
• plate glass
• plate rail
• plate tectonics
• sieve plate
• silver plate
• step up to the plate
• tin-plate
• vanity plate
• wall plate

Rhymes for plate

• ate
• bait
• bate
• cate
• crate
• date
• eight
• fait
• fate
• fete
• frate
• freight

Kids Definition

plate

1 of 2 noun

ˈplāt 

1

a

: a flat thin piece of material

b

: metal in sheets

steel plate

c

: a thin layer of one metal deposited on another

2

a

: one of the broad metal pieces used in armor

b

: armor made of plates

3

: a usually flat bony or horny bodily part forming part of a covering of an animal (as some fishes or reptiles)

4

: home plate

5

: any of the huge movable segments into which the earth's lithosphere is divided and which are held to float on and travel over the mantle

6

a

: precious metal

especially : silver bullion

b

: vessels (as bowls or cups) used in the home and made of or plated with precious metal (as silver)

7

a

: a shallow usually circular dish from which food is eaten or served

b

: a main food course served on a plate

a plate of spaghetti

c

: food and service for one person

a dinner at $10 a plate

d

: a dish or pouch used in taking a collection (as in a church)

8

a

: a prepared surface from which printing is done

b

: a sheet of material (as plastic or glass) coated with a chemical sensitive to light for use in a camera

9

: license plate

10

: the part of a denture that holds the false teeth and fits to the mouth

also : a set of false teeth

11

: a full-page illustration

an art book with color plates

platelike

-ˌlīk 

adjective

plate

2 of 2 verb

plated; plating

: to cover or equip with plate

plate the teapot with silver

Medical Definition

plate

1 of 2 noun

ˈplāt 

1

: a thin relatively flat piece or lamina (as of bone) that is part of the body

2

: a flat glass or plastic dish used chiefly for culturing cells and microorganisms

especially : petri dish see also agar plate

3

: a supporting or reinforcing element: as

a

: the part of a denture that fits in the mouth

broadly : denture

b

: a thin flat narrow piece of metal (as stainless steel) that is used to repair a bone defect or fracture

plate

2 of 2 transitive verb

plated; plating

1

: to inoculate and culture (microorganisms or cells) on a plate

also : to distribute (an inoculum) on a plate or plates for cultivation

2

: to repair (as a fractured bone) with metal plates