plane

1
[ pleyn ]
See synonyms for: planeplanedplaning on Thesaurus.com

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.

  1. Fine Arts. an area of a two-dimensional surface having determinate extension and spatial direction or position: oblique plane; horizontal plane.

  2. a level of dignity, character, existence, development, or the like: a high moral plane.

  3. Aeronautics.

    • an airplane or a hydroplane: to take a plane to Dallas.

    • a thin, flat or curved, extended section of an airplane or a hydroplane, affording a supporting surface.

  4. Architecture. a longitudinal section through the axis of a column.

adjective
  1. flat or level, as a surface.

  2. of or relating to planes or plane figures.

verb (used without object),planed, plan·ing.
  1. to glide or soar.

  2. (of a boat) to rise partly out of the water when moving at high speed.

  1. Informal. to fly or travel in an airplane: We'll drive to Detroit and plane to Los Angeles.

Origin of plane

1
First recorded in 1400–50 (for def. 9) (in the sense “to soar”); 1640–50 for noun and adjective senses; (noun) from Latin plānum “flat surface” (noun use of plānus “flat”); (adjective) from Latin plānus; first used to distinguish the geometrical senses formerly belonging to plain1; (in def. 5), shortened form of airplane, aeroplane, or hydroplane; (verb) late Middle English planen “(of a bird) to soar” (compare Middle French planer ); akin to plain1

Other words for plane

Other words from plane

  • planeness, noun

Words that may be confused with plane

Words Nearby plane

Other definitions for plane (2 of 3)

plane2
[ pleyn ]

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, plan·ing.
  1. to smooth or dress with or as if with a plane or a planer.

  2. to remove by or as if by means of a plane (usually followed by away or off).

verb (used without object),planed, plan·ing.
  1. to work with a plane.

  2. to function as a plane.

Origin of plane

2
First recorded in 1375–1425; Middle English noun plane, plaine, pleine, from Middle French plan(n)e, Old French plaine, plane or directly from Late Latin plāna “plane, adze,” derivative of plānāre “to smooth,” itself derivative of Latin plānus plain1; Middle English verb plane(n), plaine, pleine, from Middle French planer or directly from Late Latin plānāre

Other definitions for plane (3 of 3)

plane3
[ pleyn ]

Origin of plane

3
First recorded in 1350–1400; Middle English plane, plaine, from Middle French plane, Old French pleine, plane, from Latin platanus, from Greek plátanos, derivative of platýs “wide, broad, flat” (with reference to the leaves)

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2024

How to use plane in a sentence

British Dictionary definitions for plane (1 of 3)

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

  1. a level of existence, performance, attainment, etc

    • short for aeroplane

    • a wing or supporting surface of an aircraft or hydroplane

adjective
  1. level or flat

  2. maths (of a curve, figure, etc) lying entirely in one plane

verb(intr)
  1. to fly without moving wings or using engines; glide

  2. (of a boat) to rise partly and skim over the water when moving at a certain speed

  1. to travel by aeroplane

Origin of plane

1
C17: from Latin plānum level surface

Derived forms of plane

  • planeness, noun

British Dictionary definitions for plane (2 of 3)

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(tr)
  1. to level, smooth, or cut (timber, wooden articles, etc) using a plane or similar tool

  2. (often foll by off) to remove using a plane

Origin of plane

2
C14: via Old French from Late Latin plāna plane, from plānāre to level

British Dictionary definitions for plane (3 of 3)

plane3

/ (pleɪn) /


noun

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Scientific definitions for plane

plane

[ plān ]


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

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

The American Heritage® Science Dictionary Copyright © 2011. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.

Cultural definitions for plane

plane

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

The New Dictionary of Cultural Literacy, Third Edition Copyright © 2005 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.