Webster's English Dictionary

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plate

1. plate \'pla-t\ n [ME, fr. OF, fr. plate, fem. of plat flat, fr. 
   (assumed) VL plat] [ME; partly fr. OF plate plate, piece of silver; partly 
   fr. OSp plata)] [ME, fr. MF plat dish, plate, fr. plat flat]tus, prob. fr. 
   Gk platys broad, flat - more at PLACE 1a: a smooth flat thin piece of 
   material  1b1: forged, rolled, or cast metal in sheets usu. thicker than 
   1/4  inch 1b2: a very thin layer of metal deposited on a surface of base 
   metal by pla ting 1c: one of the broad metal pieces used in armor; also : 
   armor of su ch plates 1d1: a lamina or plaque (as of bone or horn) that 
   forms part of an animal b ody; esp : SCUTE 1d2: the thin under portion of 
   the forequarter of beef; esp : the f atty back part 1e1: HOME PLATE  1e2: a 
   rubber slab from which a softball or baseball pitcher delivers the b alX 
   silver, fr. (assumed) VL plattus flat obs  2a: a silver coin  2b: precious 
   metal; esp : silver bullion  3a: domestic hollow ware of gold, silver, base 
   metals, or plated  3b: a shallow usu. circular vessel from which food is 
   eaten or served  3c1: PLATEFUL  3c2: a main course served on a plate  3c3: 
   food and service supplied to one person  3d1: a prize given to the winner 
   in a contest  3d2: a sports competition; esp : a horse race in which the 
   contesta nts compete for a prize rather than stakes 3e: a dish or pouch 
   passed in taking collections  3f: a flat glass dish used chiefly for 
   culturing microorganisms  4a: PRINTING SURFACE  4b: a sheet of material (as 
   glass) coated with a light-sensitive photograph ic emulsion 4c1: the usu. 
   flat or grid-formed anode of an electron tube at which electr ons collect 
   4c2: a metallic grid with its interstices filled with active material that  
   forms one of the structural units of a storage cell or battery 5: a 
   horizontal timber for carrying the trusses of a roof or the rafters di 
   rectly 6: the part of a denture that fits to the mouth; broadly : DENTU RE 
   7: a full-page illustration often on different paper from the text pages 
2. plate vt 1: to cover or equip with plate : as  1a: to arm with armor 
   plate  1b: to cover with an adherent layer mechanically, chemically, or 
   electrica lly; also : to deposit (as a layer) on a surface 2: to make a 
   printing surface from or for  3: to fix or secure with a plate