plateau

[ pla-tohor, especially British, plat-oh ]

noun

, plural pla·teaus, pla·teaux [pla-, tohz, plat, -ohz].

1. a land area having a relatively level surface considerably raised above adjoining land on at least one side, and often cut by deep canyons.
2. a period or state of little or no growth or decline:

   to reach a plateau in one's career.

3. Psychology. a period of little or no apparent progress in an individual's learning, marked by an inability to increase speed, reduce number of errors, etc., and indicated by a horizontal stretch in a learning curve or graph.
4. a flat stand, as for a centerpiece, sometimes extending the full length of a table.

verb (used without object)

, pla·teaued, pla·teau·ing.

1. to reach a state or level of little or no growth or decline, especially to stop increasing or progressing; remain at a stable level of achievement; level off:

   After a period of uninterrupted growth, sales began to plateau.

verb (used with object)

, pla·teaued, pla·teau·ing.

1. to cause to remain at a stable level, especially to prevent from rising or progressing:

   Rising inflation plateaued sales income.

Plateau

¹

/ ˈplætəʊ /

noun

1. a state of central Nigeria, formed in 1976 from part of Benue-Plateau State: tin mining. Capital: Jos. Pop: 3 178 712 (2006). Area: 30 913 sq km (11 936 sq miles)

plateau

²

/ ˈplætəʊ /

noun

1. a wide mainly level area of elevated land
2. a relatively long period of stability; levelling off

   the rising prices reached a plateau

verb

1. to remain at a stable level for a relatively long period

plateau

/ plă-tō′ /

1. An elevated, comparatively level expanse of land. Plateaus make up about 45 percent of the Earth's land surface.

Word History and Origins

Origin of plateau¹

1785–95; < French; Old French platel flat object, diminutive of plat plate ¹

Word History and Origins

Origin of plateau¹

C18: from French, from Old French platel something flat, from plat flat; see plate

Example Sentences

But he has somehow leapt to a higher plateau during the last few years—all the more amazing given his precarious health.

From The Daily Beast

One cold October day in 1968, I climbed out of a warm creek on the Yellowstone Plateau and came face to face with a huge grizzly.

From The Daily Beast

In those countries the study revealed little evidence of any plateau.

From The Daily Beast

Those carbs need to be burned with cardio, or else weight loss will plateau.

From The Daily Beast

The teams of service personnel, all of whom have physical or cognitive injuries, have walked 335km across the Antarctic Plateau.

From The Daily Beast

A short distance off was another ridge or spur of the mountain, widening out into almost a plateau.

From Project Gutenberg

Massed on the plateau above the mule-path, the whole population of the village stood to watch them down the steep descent.

From Project Gutenberg

On the afternoon of July 5th it fell to the lot of Macdonald to attempt to seize the plateau which formed the Austrian centre.

From Project Gutenberg

It was one of those brilliant clear crisp days with which that high plateau can put even California to the blush.

From Project Gutenberg

A plateau is defined as a high lowland; therefore, this section is higher in elevation than the Coastal Plain region.

From Project Gutenberg

Related Words

• elevation
• highland
• plain