place mat

American  

noun

place mats plural

1. a mat set on a dining table beneath a place setting.

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Other Word Forms

Noun Inflected Forms

• place mats
  plural

Etymology

Origin of place mat

First recorded in 1950–55

Example Sentences

“I think you need to eat something,” she said, slapping the bowl onto a place mat, and she was right.

From Los Angeles Times • Oct. 3, 2025

There is room for bits of Shakespeare, vaudeville theatrics and road trip trivia like the paper place mat maps at Howard Johnson’s restaurants.

From Seattle Times • Sep. 24, 2021

And worst of all are ones that are both oily and acidic — and a sharply different color than the place mat.

From Washington Post • Jul. 18, 2021

The area of a rectangular place mat is 168 square inches.

From Textbooks • Apr. 22, 2020

I lay down a place mat and Alexa tops it with a plate.

From "The House That Lou Built" by Mae Respicio