Plane Meaning
/pleɪn/Definition, CEFR level A2, pronunciation, examples, and quiz.
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Definition
adjOf a surface: flat or level.
nounA level or flat surface.
Sentence Examples
Have you ever traveled in a plane?
You're in luck. The plane is on time.
I was terrified that the plane would crash.
CEFR Practice Quiz
The pilot flew the ____ across the vast ocean to another country.
CEFR Practice Quiz (Alternate)
The ____ landed smoothly despite the strong crosswind that had concerned the passengers.
Word Origin & History
Etymology tree Proto-Indo-European *pleth₂-? Proto-Indo-European *pel-? Proto-Indo-European *pleh₂-der. Proto-Indo-European *pleh₂-no-s Proto-Italic *plānos Latin plānus Latin plānumder. English plane From Latin plānum (“flat surface”), a noun use of the neuter of plānus (“plain”). The word was introduced in the 17th century to distinguish the geometrical senses from the other senses of plain. Doublet of llano, piano, and plain.
Literary Quotations & Historical Citations
"Mirrors in the compartments have been canted out of the vertical plane to reduce reflections to the passengers when seated."
— 1979 August, Graham Burtenshaw, Michael S. Welch, “O.V.S. Bulleid's SR loco-hauled coaches - 1”, in Railway World, page 396:
"Nettie's stories about her experiences in Africa point out many parallels between the African and American ways of life. Her stories about the African lifestyle and family structure, in particular, point out the sexist and oppressive conditions that women are forced to submit to on a global plane."
— 1982 December 4, Catherine Joseph, “Empowered into Enlightenment”, in Gay Community News, volume 10, number 20, page 8:
"The plane is travelling impossibly slowly – 30km an hour – when it gently noses up and leaves the ground. With air beneath them, the rangy wings seem to gain strength; the fuselage that on the ground seemed flimsy becomes elegant, like a crane vaunting in flight. It seems not to fly, though, so much as float."
— 2013 September 6, Tom Cheshire, “Solar-powered travel”, in The Guardian Weekly, volume 189, number 13, page 34:
Explore More A2 Vocabulary Words
CEFR Practice Quiz
The pilot flew the ____ across the vast ocean to another country.
CEFR Practice Quiz (Alternate)
The ____ landed smoothly despite the strong crosswind that had concerned the passengers.