nounadjective
la plate
flat
Definition & meaning
Plate is the feminine singular form of the French adjective plat. It means:
- flat, without much height or thickness: une surface plate — “a flat surface”
- level or even: une route plate — “a flat road”
- dull or lacking energy, figuratively: une histoire plate — “a dull story”
- bland or lacking flavor, especially in Canadian French: une soupe plate — “a bland soup”
It can also be a feminine noun in some regional or specialized uses:
- a flat-bottomed boat, especially in certain regional varieties of French: une plate — “a flatboat” or “barge”
Grammar & Word origin
Plate is:
- feminine singular of the adjective plat
- pronounced approximately like “platt”
- usually placed after the noun: une table plate — “a flat table”
The adjective comes from Old French plat [?](vocabuo://word/plat], from Latin plattus, meaning “flat” or “broad.”
Synonyms & antonyms
Depending on the meaning, synonyms include:
- plane — flat and even, often used for surfaces
- horizontale — horizontal rather than vertical
- unie — smooth or even
- fade — bland or lacking flavor; this applies only to the figurative or culinary sense
- ennuyeuse — boring, when describing something dull
Antonyms include:
- courbe — curved
- bosselée — bumpy or full of dents
- inclinée — sloping
- épaisse — thick, when contrasting with something thin and flat
- savoureuse — flavorful, as the opposite of bland
- intéressante — interesting, as the opposite of dull
Common phrases & collocations
Make “plate” part of your vocabulary.
Build your French vocabulary with flashcards, audio and spaced repetition.
Examples
Cette assiette est plate.adjective
This plate is flat.
Les pierres sont plates et grises.adjective
The stones are flat and gray.
La route est plate ici.adjective
The road is flat here.
Keep exploring French
Learn words from the content you love.
Add words from websites, books and videos, then remember them with spaced repetition (SRS).
Scan for iPhone & iPad