el plato (comida)

Definition & meaning

1. Plate or dish: A flat or shallow piece of tableware used for serving or eating food.
2. Dish or course: Food prepared in a particular way, or a course in a meal.
3. Platter or disc: A flat, usually circular object, such as a turntable platter or a bicycle chainring. The meaning depends on the context.

Grammar & Word origin

Plato is a masculine noun: el plato, plural los platos.

It comes from Latin plattus, meaning “flat” or “broad.”

Synonyms & antonyms

• vajilla ↗ — tableware or a set of dishes; it refers to the collection, not an individual plate.
• fuente ↗ — a serving dish or platter, typically larger than a plate.
• comida ↗ — food or a meal in general; broader than a particular prepared dish.

There is no common direct antonym.

Common phrases & collocations

• plato principal ↗ — main course.
• plato típico ↗ — a traditional or typical dish.
• lavar los platos ↗ — to wash the dishes.