plane
10 synonyms and 0 antonyms for plane, grouped by meaning and by how common each one is.
Noun — An aircraft; an airplane.
Synonyms
Everyday swaps
Common words most readers know — safe in any writing.
Less common
Still standard English, but they carry more weight.
Rare, literary or technical
Precise, but they will stand out — check the sense before using one.
How to use plane
The word patterns that sound natural to a native speaker.
Etymology
From Latin planum, "flat surface," a noun derived from planus, "flat, level" — introduced in the 1600s to separate the geometric sense from the older word "plain," which it's a doublet of.
Full origin of plane →Frequently asked questions
What does “plane” mean?
The word “plane” means an aircraft; an airplane. In plain terms, most commonly an airplane, but also a flat mathematical surface or a woodworking tool.
How do you pronounce “plane”?
“Plane” is pronounced playn (/pleɪn/ in IPA).
How do you use “plane” in a sentence?
Here is “plane” used in a sentence: “Our plane landed twenty minutes early.”
What part of speech is “plane”?
Depending on how it is used, “plane” can be a noun and an adjective.
Where does the word “plane” come from?
The word “plane” dates back to around 1600 and comes from Latin. From Latin planum, "flat surface," a noun derived from planus, "flat, level" — introduced in the 1600s to separate the geometric sense from the older word "plain," which it's a doublet of.
Is “plane” a common word?
“Plane” is a very common word in modern English, usually learned at around the A1 level.
How many meanings does “plane” have?
“Plane” has 4 distinct senses listed in this dictionary. The most common is: an aircraft; an airplane.
What is the difference between plane and plain?
They sound alike but differ in meaning. "Plane" is an aircraft, short for airplane, and also a flat surface in geometry or a carpenter's smoothing tool. "Plain" means simple or unadorned, or a flat stretch of land. If you are flying, you board a plane; if something is ordinary, it is plain.
What are the other meanings of plane?
Besides an aircraft, "plane" means a flat, level surface in geometry, a level of thought or existence, as in a higher plane, and a hand tool for shaving wood smooth. As a verb, to "plane" is to smooth wood or to skim across water. The aircraft sense is the most common.
Is plane short for airplane?
Yes. "Plane" is the everyday shortening of "airplane" in American English or "aeroplane" in British English. All three refer to a powered, winged aircraft. "Plane" is by far the most common in speech, while the full forms appear more often in formal or technical writing.
What is the difference between a plane and a jet?
A jet is a type of plane. "Plane" covers all powered winged aircraft, including propeller planes. A "jet" specifically uses jet engines, which make it faster and able to fly higher. So every jet is a plane, but not every plane is a jet.