splat

¹

[splat]

noun

1. Also a broad, flat piece of wood, either pierced or solid, forming the center upright part of a chair back or the like.

2. a batten for covering joints between sheets of wallboard; panel strip.

splat

²

[splat]

noun

1. a sound made by splattering or slapping.

splat

¹

/ splæt /

noun

1. a wet slapping sound

splat

²

/ splæt /

noun

1. a wide flat piece of wood, esp one that is the upright central part of a chair back

Word History and Origins

Origin of splat¹

1825–35; origin uncertain; compare Old English splātan to split

Origin of splat²

First recorded in 1895–1900; back formation from splatter

Word History and Origins

Origin of splat¹

C19: of imitative origin

Origin of splat²

C19: perhaps related to Old English splātan to _split

Example Sentences

Syd, unaccustomed to elevators, let alone crowded ones, had to be pulled in, then splat like a cartoon character on the floor each time there was a shift down.

From Los Angeles Times

My piece enjoyed a few seconds of airtime before tragically plopping onto the floor with an audible “splat” for everyone in the studio to hear.

From Salon

This is a movie where someone’s frontal lobes get splatted on a window and drip-drip-plop down in chunks.

From Los Angeles Times

This shaggy, silly movie works because you want to be there wherever the leads fall splat on their faces: a blood bank, a brawl, an ambulance.

From Los Angeles Times

The director of the museum, Sharon Ament, said the pigeon and splat represented the "grit and glitter" of the capital.

From BBC