home plate

noun

, Baseball.

1. the base at which the batter stands and which a base runner must reach safely in order to score a run, typically a five-sided slab of whitened rubber set at ground level at the front corner of the diamond.

home plate

noun

1. baseball a flat often five-sided piece of hard rubber or other material that serves to define the area over which the pitcher must throw the ball for a strike and that a base runner must safely reach on his way from third base to score a run Also calledplatehomehome base

Word History and Origins

Origin of home plate¹

An Americanism dating back to 1870–75

Example Sentences

When the pitcher hurls the ball at 96 miles per hour toward home plate, the batter doesn’t have enough time to wait for the ball to come close, consciously see it, and then prepare and execute the swing.

From Nautilus

Upon hearing this, the Gorillas hitter runs out of the batter’s box, chops down a gigantic tree, and lugs it back to home plate for a bat, his cigar dangling from his mouth.

From Washington Post

So it calculated the strike zone where home plate used to be.

From Science News For Students

Instead, a box-shaped radar dish located above home plate sends pulses of radio waves toward the pitcher.

From Science News For Students

The first suite level is 39 feet, 7 inches closer, and the closest seating behind home plate is 10 feet closer, just 42 feet from home plate.

From FiveThirtyEight

Ruth demanded the home plate umpire inspect the ball, according to multiple writers on hand.

From The Daily Beast

Again, near home plate, he turned his head at the call of the pompous man who meant to award the pennant to Belden.

From Project Gutenberg

The home plate should if possible be a piece of whitened rubber.

From Project Gutenberg

This and home plate should be buried so that they are flush with the surface of the field.

From Project Gutenberg

There were two men out when he grasped the ashen stick and took his stand beside the home plate.

From Project Gutenberg

Then came another one-base hit, and amid a wild yelling the runner from second slid in over the home plate.

From Project Gutenberg