plane
playn
Plane (noun) means an aircraft; an airplane. Example: “Our plane landed twenty minutes early.”
noun
1
An aircraft; an airplane.
"Our plane landed twenty minutes early."
"She was nervous during takeoff, as she always is on a plane."
"We watched the plane climb slowly into the grey clouds."
2
A completely flat surface, especially in mathematics or physics.
"Two points define a line, but three define a plane."
"The graph is drawn on a flat plane with two axes."
"A line that crosses a plane meets it at exactly one point."
3
A tool used to shave thin layers off wood to smooth or shape it.
"He ran the plane along the edge of the door to make it fit."
"Use a sharp plane to take a thin curl off the plank."
"My grandfather kept an old wooden plane in his toolbox."
adj
1
Completely flat or level.
"The surveyor confirmed the ground was plane enough to build on."
"The tabletop must be perfectly plane or the marbles will roll off."
"A plane mirror shows an undistorted image of whatever stands before it."
How to use plane
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishMost commonly an airplane, but also a flat mathematical surface or a woodworking tool.
Common mistake
Don't confuse with "plain" (simple, or flat land) — they're pronounced the same but spelled and used differently.
Easily confused with
Common pairings
catch a plane
plane surface
wood plane
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Word forms
- Plural
- planes
- Third person singular
- planes
- Past tense
- planed
- Comparative
- planer
- Superlative
- planest
Fill the gap
Can you complete this real example?
Our _____ landed twenty minutes early.
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.
Class of 1600
plane joined the language around 1600.
See the full Class of 1600 →
Synonyms
View more →Antonyms
Related words
Rhymes for plane
See all rhymes for 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.
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