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 • Aug. 20, 2022

With a magnetic base, it can be attached to its included wall plate like a regular wall switch or placed on any metallic or flat surface for use as a remote control.

From The Verge • Aug. 20, 2022

The Tap Dial is weighty in the hand, and its strong magnet snaps easily back into the wall plate.

From The Verge • Aug. 20, 2022

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 • Nov. 2, 2021

The interior has an arcade of seven arches, arranged three, two, and two, between piers, with a flat pilaster running up to what was once the wall plate.

From The Shores of the Adriatic The Austrian Side, The Küstenlande, Istria, and Dalmatia by Jackson, F. Hamilton (Frederick Hamilton)