plain
1[pleyn]
||
adjective, plain·er, plain·est.
adverb
clearly and simply: He's just plain stupid.
noun
an area of land not significantly higher than adjacent areas and with relatively minor differences in elevation, commonly less than 500 feet (150 meters), within the area.
The Plains. Great Plains.
Origin of plain
11250–1300; Middle English (adj., adv., and noun) < Old French (adj. and noun) < Latin plānus flat, level, plānum flat country
Synonym study
10. See homely.
Synonyms for plain
1, 2. lucid, understandable, intelligible, unmistakable, apparent, perspicuous. 2, 3. unambiguous, unequivocal, patent, transparent; direct. 5. unreserved, straightforward, blunt, frank, ingenuous, open, sincere. 6. unpretentious. 10. unadorned.
Antonyms for plain
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2019
Related Words for plainer
transparent, honest, simple, traditional, ordinary, conventional, dull, unvarnished, austere, stark, pure, meadow, expanse, field, prairie, steppe, grassland, plateau, patent, broadExamples from the Web for plainer
Contemporary Examples of plainer
Historical Examples of plainer
It almost seemed as if she might ask John to let her take the plainer way.
Tiverton TalesAlice Brown
"He's petered out;" which addition did not make it any plainer.
One Day's CourtshipRobert Barr
Louder sounded the footsteps, plainer the voices of the redcoats.
The Dare Boys of 1776Stephen Angus Cox
Plainer tartlets may be made with short, flaky, or other pastry.
The Skilful CookMary Harrison
A plainer way is to dry the fish, after it has been washed and cleaned, and lay it on a board before the fire, dusted with flour.
plain
1adjective
noun
adverb
See also plains
Word Origin for plain
C13: from Old French: simple, from Latin plānus level, distinct, clear
plain
2verb
Word Origin for plain
C14 pleignen, from Old French plaindre to lament, from Latin plangere to beat
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
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plain
Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2010 Douglas Harper
plain
[plān]
The American Heritage® Science Dictionary
Copyright © 2011. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.
plain
The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary
Copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.