plage

[plahzh] /plɑʒ/
noun
1.
a sandy bathing beach at a seashore resort.
2.
Astronomy. a luminous area in the sun's chromosphere that appears in the vicinity of a sunspot.
Origin
1885-90; < French < Italian piaggia < Late Latin plagia shore, noun use of feminine of plagius horizontal < Greek plágios slanting, sideways; see plagio-
British Dictionary definitions for plage

plage

/plɑːʒ/
noun
1.
(astronomy) a bright patch in the sun's chromosphere
Word Origin
French, literally: beach, strand
Word Origin and History for plage
n.

"a region," late 14c., from Old French plage (13c.), from Late Latin plagia "a plain, shore," noun use of adjective (plagia regio), from plaga "a region, stretch of country" (see pelagic). Astronomical sense is from 1949.

plage in Science
plage
  (pläzh)   
A bright and intensely hot area in the Sun's chromosphere, usually associated with a sunspot. It is typically brighter than its surroundings but may be indistinguishable due to lack of contrast. Plages are sources of strong ultraviolet radiation.