plane

plane

plane¹ [plān]

n.

[ME < MFr plasne < L platanus < Gr platanos < platys, broad (see PLATY-): from its broad leaves]

any of a genus (Platanus) of trees of the plane-tree family having maplelike leaves, spherical dry fruits, and bark that sheds in large patches; sycamore

plane² [plān]

adj.

[L planus: see PLAIN¹]

1. flat; level; even

2. Math.

a) lying on a surface that is a plane

b) of such surfaces

n.

[L planum]

1. a surface that wholly contains every straight line joining any two points lying in it

2. a flat, level, or even surface

3. a level of development, achievement, existence, etc.

4. short for AIRPLANE

5. any airfoil; esp., a wing of an airplane

SYN.- LEVEL

plane³ [plān]

n.

[OFr plaine < LL plana < planare, to plane, make level < L planus: see PLAIN¹]

a carpenter's tool for shaving a wood surface in order to make it smooth, level, etc.

vt.

planed, planing

1. to make smooth or level with or as with a plane

2. to remove with or as with a plane: with off or away

vi.

1. to work with a plane

2. to do the work of a plane

plane⁴ [plān]

vi.

planed, planing [Fr planer < OFr plan, level surface (term used in falconry, in reference to position of bird's wings while soaring) < LL planare, to make level: see PLANE³]

1. to soar or glide

2. to rise partly out of the water while in motion at high speed, as a HYDROPLANE (sense 1) does

3. to travel by airplane