plane1

[pleyn] /pleɪn/
noun
1.
a flat or level surface.
2.
Geometry. a surface generated by a straight line moving at a constant velocity with respect to a fixed point.
3.
Fine Arts. an area of a two-dimensional surface having determinate extension and spatial direction or position:
oblique plane; horizontal plane.
4.
a level of dignity, character, existence, development, or the like:
a high moral plane.
5.
Aeronautics.
  1. an airplane or a hydroplane:
    to take a plane to Dallas.
  2. a thin, flat or curved, extended section of an airplane or a hydroplane, affording a supporting surface.
6.
Architecture. a longitudinal section through the axis of a column.
adjective
7.
flat or level, as a surface.
8.
of or pertaining to planes or plane figures.
verb (used without object), planed, planing.
9.
to glide or soar.
10.
(of a boat) to rise partly out of the water when moving at high speed.
11.
Informal. to fly or travel in an airplane:
We'll drive to Detroit and plane to Los Angeles.
Origin
1400-50 for sense “to soar”; 1640-50 for noun and adj. senses; (noun) < Latin plānum flat surface (noun use of plānus flat); (adj.) < Latin plānus; first used to distinguish the geometrical senses formerly belonging to plain1; in def. 5, shortened form of airplane, aeroplane, or hydroplane; (v.) late Middle English planen (of a bird) to soar (compare Middle French planer); akin to plain1
Related forms
planeness, noun
Synonyms
4. stratum, stage. 7. smooth, even, flush.

plane2

[pleyn] /pleɪn/
noun
1.
Carpentry. any of various woodworking instruments for paring, truing, or smoothing, or for forming moldings, chamfers, rabbets, grooves, etc., by means of an inclined, adjustable blade moved along and against the piece being worked.
2.
a trowellike tool for smoothing the surface of clay in a brick mold.
verb (used with object), planed, planing.
3.
to smooth or dress with or as if with a plane or a planer.
4.
to remove by or as if by means of a plane (usually followed by away or off).
verb (used without object), planed, planing.
5.
to work with a plane.
6.
to function as a plane.
Origin
1275-1325; (noun) Middle English (< Middle French) < Late Latin plāna, derivative of plānāre to smooth, itself derivative of Latin plānus plain1; (v.) Middle English planen (< Middle French planer) < Late Latin plānāre

plane3

[pleyn] /pleɪn/
noun
1.
plane tree.
Origin
1350-1400; Middle English < Middle French < Latin platanus < Greek plátanos, derivative of platýs broad, flat1 (with reference to the leaves)
Examples from the web for plane
  • In pleaching, side branches of adjoining trees are intertwined in one flat plane and all the rest of the branches are removed.
  • At birth it is more horizontal and situated in almost the same plane as the base of the skull.
  • Apparently, Boeing's new solar plane could fly around the world for years without stopping.
  • It is a plane unto itself, which is what makes it so amazing and so unique.
  • Is it plane? How to make radar work in wind farms.
  • The planets all revolve around the sun in the same direction and in virtually the same plane.
  • This point lies on the so-called “focal plane” of the lens.
  • The plane didn't have much fuel, and the men began to worry.
  • Sounds like he needed a plane reservation.
  • It looks like the ring—the whole ring—was abruptly yanked out of Saturn's equatorial plane.
British Dictionary definitions for plane

plane1

/pleɪn/
noun
1.
(maths) a flat surface in which a straight line joining any two of its points lies entirely on that surface
2.
a flat or level surface
3.
a level of existence, performance, attainment, etc
4.
  1. short for aeroplane
  2. a wing or supporting surface of an aircraft or hydroplane
adjective
5.
level or flat
6.
(maths) (of a curve, figure, etc) lying entirely in one plane
verb (intransitive)
7.
to fly without moving wings or using engines; glide
8.
(of a boat) to rise partly and skim over the water when moving at a certain speed
9.
to travel by aeroplane
Derived Forms
planeness, noun
Word Origin
C17: from Latin plānum level surface

plane2

/pleɪn/
noun
1.
a tool with an adjustable sharpened steel blade set obliquely in a wooden or iron body, for levelling or smoothing timber surfaces, cutting mouldings or grooves, etc
2.
a flat tool, usually metal, for smoothing the surface of clay or plaster in a mould
verb (transitive)
3.
to level, smooth, or cut (timber, wooden articles, etc) using a plane or similar tool
4.
(often foll by off) to remove using a plane
Word Origin
C14: via Old French from Late Latin plāna plane, from plānāre to level

plane3

/pleɪn/
noun
1.
See plane tree

plane tree

noun
1.
any tree of the genus Platanus, having ball-shaped heads of fruits and leaves with pointed lobes: family Platanaceae. The hybrid P. × acerifolia (London plane) is frequently planted in towns Also called platan
Word Origin
C14 plane, from Old French, from Latin platanus, from Greek platanos, from platos wide, referring to the leaves
Word Origin and History for plane
n.

"flat surface," c.1600, from Latin planum "flat surface, plane, level, plain," noun use of neuter of adjective planus "flat, level, even, plain, clear," from PIE *pla-no- (cf. Lithuanian plonas "thin;" Celtic *lanon "plain;" perhaps also Greek pelanos "sacrificial cake, a mixture offered to the gods, offering (of meal, honey, and oil) poured or spread"), suffixed form of root *pele- (2) "to spread out, broad, flat" (cf. Old Church Slavonic polje "flat land, field," Russian polyi "open;" Old English and Old High German feld, Middle Dutch veld "field"). Introduced (perhaps by influence of French plan in this sense) to differentiate the geometrical senses from plain, which in mid-16c. English also meant "geonetric plane." Figurative sense is attested from 1850. As an adjective from 1660s.

1908, short for aeroplane (see airplane).

"tool for smoothing surfaces," mid-14c., from Old French plane, earlier plaine (14c.), from Late Latin plana, back-formation from planare "make level," from Latin planus "level, flat" (see plane (n.1)).

"tree of the genus Platanus," late 14c., from Old French plane, earlier plasne (14c.), from Latin platanus, from Greek platanos, earlier platanistos "plane tree," a species from Asia Minor, associated with platys "broad" (see plaice (n.)), in reference to its leaves. Applied since 1778 in Scotland and northern England to the sycamore, whose leaves somewhat resemble those of the true plane tree.

v.

"to make smooth," early 14c., "to gloss over, explain away;" mid-14c. as "to make smooth or even," from Old French planer "to smooth, level off; wipe away, erase" (12c.), from Late Latin planare "make level," from Latin planus "level, flat" (see plane (n.1)). In early use in English often plain. Related: Planed; planing.

"soar, glide on motionless wings," early 15c., from Old French planer "to hover (as a bird), to lie flat," from plan (n.) "plane," from Latin planum "flat surface" (see plane (n.1)), on notion of bird gliding with flattened wings. Of boats, etc., "to skim over the surface of water," it is first found 1913. Related: Planed; planing.

plane in Medicine

plane 1 (plān)
n.

  1. A surface containing all the straight lines that connect any two points on it.

  2. A flat or level surface.

  3. An imaginary surface formed by extension through any axis of the body or through two definite points on the body.

plane in Science
plane
  (plān)   
Noun  A two-dimensional surface, any two of whose points can be joined by a straight line that lies entirely in the surface.

Adjective  Lying in a plane: a plane curve.
plane in Culture

plane definition


A geometrical location having only two dimensions — length and width (no height). (See coordinates and plane geometry.)

Slang definitions & phrases for plane

plane

noun

A big car; boat: My dad bought a plane from a used car dealer (1980s+ Teenagers)