platform

American  

[plat-fawrm] / ˈplæt fɔrm /

noun

1. a horizontal surface, or structure with a horizontal surface, raised above the level of the surrounding area.

2. a raised flooring or other horizontal surface, such as a stage for use by public speakers, performers, etc., in a hall or meeting place.

   Synonyms:

   tenets, party line, manifesto, pulpit, rostrum, dais, stage

3. a place for public discussion; forum.

4. the raised area between or alongside the tracks of a railroad station, from which the cars of the train are entered.

5. the open entrance area, or the vestibule, at the end of a railroad passenger car.

6. a landing in a flight of stairs.

7. a public statement of the principles, objectives, and policy of a political party, especially as put forth by the representatives of the party in a convention to nominate candidates for an election.

   The platform contained the usual platitudes.

8. a body of principles on which a person or group takes a stand in appealing to the public; program; policy.

   The Fabians developed an all-embracing platform promising utopia.

9. a system of religious principles or doctrines.

10. a decklike construction on which the drill rig of an offshore oil or gas well is erected.

11. Digital Technology.

    1. hardware platform.

    2. software platform.

    3. gaming platform.

    4. application program; app.

12. Also platform business model a business model that facilitates financial, social, collaborative, or other connections between large networks of producers and consumers, typically through digital technology infrastructure.

    Rather than providing a product or service to a consumer, as a producer would, the value contribution of a platform is the strength and scale of its network.

13. Building Trades. a relatively flat member or construction for distributing weight, as a wall plate, grillage, etc.

14. Military.

    1. solid ground on which artillery pieces are mounted.

    2. a metal stand or base attached to certain types of artillery pieces.

15. Nautical. flat.

16. a flat, elevated piece of ground.

17. Geology. a vast area of undisturbed sedimentary rocks that, together with a shield, constitutes a craton.

18. 1. a thick insert of leather, cork, or other sturdy material between the uppers and the sole of a shoe, usually intended for stylish effect or to give added height.

    2. Also platform shoe a shoe with such an insert.

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platform British  

/ ˈplætfɔːm /

noun

1. a raised floor or other horizontal surface, such as a stage for speakers

2. a raised area at a railway station, from which passengers have access to the trains

3. See drilling platform production platform

4. the declared principles, aims, etc, of a political party, an organization, or an individual

5. a level raised area of ground

6. 1. the thick raised sole of some high-heeled shoes

   2. ( as modifier )

      platform shoes

7. a vehicle or level place on which weapons are mounted and fired

8. a specific type of computer hardware or computer operating system

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platform Scientific  

/ plăt′fôrm′ /

1. The basic technology of a computer system's hardware and software, defining how a computer is operated and determining what other kinds of software can be used. Additional software or hardware must be compatible with the platform.

2. The part of a continent's craton (the ancient, relatively undisturbed portion of a continental plate) that is covered by flat or nearly flat strata of sediment.

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platform ¹ Cultural  

1. The combination of computer hardware and operating system that applications must be compatible with.

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platform ² Cultural  

1. A political party's or candidate's written statement of principles and plans. A platform is usually developed by a committee at the party convention during a presidential campaign.

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Other Word Forms

• platformless adjective

Etymology

Origin of platform

First recorded in 1540–50; earlier platte forme, from Middle French: literally, “flat form, plane figure”; see plate ¹, form

Explanation

A platform is any raised surface you can stand on, like the platform beside subway tracks where you wait for the train to arrive. When you're standing on something that's higher than the surrounding area, you can call it a platform, like a train platform or a viewing platform at a historic site. A platform is also the official stance of a politician or a political group, like a platform of improving public education. Also, there is the footwear known as a platform shoe, which has a very thick sole which makes the wearer appear taller, like standing on a platform.

Example Sentences

The one element of Warsh’s platform that Rieder questioned was the need to trim the Fed’s balance sheet.

From Barron's • May 1, 2026

But, like Palace, the west London side are an established Premier League outfit that can provide a stable platform for Lampard.

From BBC • Apr. 30, 2026

We have a phone platform for small businesses.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 30, 2026

He’s used that same platform to lob explosive accusations at critics and allies alike, blowing up a professional and personal relationship with President Donald Trump by tying him to the Epstein files.

From Slate • Apr. 30, 2026

Just then the deep voice of a hound dog rang out over the depot platform.

From "Summer of the Monkeys" by Wilson Rawls

Related Words

• manifesto
• plank
• policy
• principle
• program