wall plate

American  

noun

1. Also called raising plate.  Building Trades. a horizontal member built into or laid along the top of a wall to support and distribute the pressure from joists, rafters, etc.

2. Machinery. a vertical metal plate secured against a wall, as to attach a bracket.

3. Mining. one of the longer members of a set.

4. switch plate.

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wall plate British  

noun

1. a horizontal timber member placed along the top of a wall to support the ends of joists, rafters, etc, and distribute the load

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Etymology

Origin of wall plate

Middle English word dating back to 1350–1400

Example Sentences

The Tap Dial switch can be used with or without the wall mount, which is larger than a standard wall plate.

From The Verge

In Spokane, Kerr rented a two-bedroom apartment, spacious by L.A. standards and neatly kept, with family photos and mementos, including a collection of wall plates with carousels — her mother’s talisman — in relief.

From Los Angeles Times

Currently, Lutron Caseta and Leviton’s smart switch lines offer some of the simplest solutions for this and have wall plates you can use to mount the remote so that it looks just like a switch.

From The Verge

If you’re attaching your bottom wall plate to a concrete floor, visit my AsktheBuilder.com website to see how easy it is to secure the plate using just two regular 16d nails!

From Seattle Times

The magnetic dimmer can be attached to the wall plate or detached for use as a remote.

From The Verge