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I myself am not particularly interested in restaurant cooking. I don't really want to learn how to make a napoleon. I'd much rather learn how to make a very good lemon cake, which you can make in your own home. I like plain, old-fashioned home food.
Laurie Colwin

Meaning of "plain" in the English dictionary

Dictionary
DICTIONARY
section

ETYMOLOGY OF THE WORD PLAIN

From Old French: simple, from Latin plānus level, distinct, clear.
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Etymology is the study of the origin of words and their changes in structure and significance.
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PRONUNCIATION OF PLAIN

plain  [pleɪn] play
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GRAMMATICAL CATEGORY OF PLAIN

noun
adjective
verb
adverb
pronoun
preposition
conjunction
determiner
exclamation
Plain can act as a noun, an adjective and an adverb.
A noun is a type of word the meaning of which determines reality. Nouns provide the names for all things: people, objects, sensations, feelings, etc.

The adjective is the word that accompanies the noun to determine or qualify it.

The adverb is an invariable part of the sentence that can change, explain or simplify a verb or another adverb.

WHAT DOES PLAIN MEAN IN ENGLISH?

plain

Plain

In geography, a plain is a flat region. Plains occur as lowlands and at the bottoms of valleys but also on plateaus or uplands at high elevations. In a valley, a plain is enclosed on two sides but in other cases a plain may be delineated by a complete or partial ring of hills, by mountains or cliffs. Where a geological region contains more than one plain, they may be connected by a pass. Plains may have been formed from flowing lava, deposited by water, ice cold wind, or formed by erosion by these agents from hills and mountains. Plains in many areas are important for agriculture because where the soils were deposited as sediments they may be deep and fertile, and the flatness facilitates mechanization of crop production; or because they support grasslands which provide good grazing for livestock.

Definition of plain in the English dictionary

The first definition of plain in the dictionary is flat or smooth; level. Other definition of plain is not complicated; clear. Plain is also not difficult; simple or easy.

WORDS THAT RHYME WITH PLAIN


aeroplane
ˈɛərəˌpleɪn
airplane
ˈɛəˌpleɪn
biplane
ˈbaɪˌpleɪn
blain
bleɪn
Champlain
ʃæmˈpleɪn
complain
kəmˈpleɪn
explain
ɪkˈspleɪn
hydroplane
ˈhaɪdrəʊˌpleɪn
hyperplane
ˈhaɪpəˌpleɪn
lain
leɪn
Laine
leɪn
lane
leɪn
Maclean
məˈkleɪn
monoplane
ˈmɒnəʊˌpleɪn
plane
pleɪn
sailplane
ˈseɪlˌpleɪn
seaplane
ˈsiːˌpleɪn
silane
ˈsɪleɪn
slain
sleɪn
slane
sleɪn

WORDS THAT BEGIN LIKE PLAIN

plaidman
plain chocolate
plain clothes
plain flour
plain language
Plain of Jezreel
Plain of Sharon
plain sailing
plain speaking
plain text
plain turkey
plain yoghurt
plain-clothes
plain-laid
plain-spoken
plainant
plainchant
plainclothesman
plainclothesmen
plainful

WORDS THAT END LIKE PLAIN

bromelain
chamberlain
chaplain
chatelain
chilblain
Cuchulain
eggshell porcelain
flood plain
Lake Champlain
Lord Chamberlain
Nullarbor Plain
overlain
peneplain
porcelain
Salisbury Plain
semiporcelain
underlain
unslain
villain
Worcester porcelain

Synonyms and antonyms of plain in the English dictionary of synonyms

SYNONYMS

SYNONYMS OF «PLAIN»

The following words have a similar or identical meaning as «plain» and belong to the same grammatical category.
synonyms of plain

Translation of «plain» into 25 languages

TRANSLATOR
online translator

TRANSLATION OF PLAIN

Find out the translation of plain to 25 languages with our English multilingual translator.
The translations of plain from English to other languages presented in this section have been obtained through automatic statistical translation; where the essential translation unit is the word «plain» in English.

Translator English - Chinese

简单的
1,325 millions of speakers

Translator English - Spanish

sencillo
570 millions of speakers

English

plain
510 millions of speakers

Translator English - Hindi

सादे
380 millions of speakers
ar

Translator English - Arabic

بَسِيط
280 millions of speakers

Translator English - Russian

плоский
278 millions of speakers

Translator English - Portuguese

plano
270 millions of speakers

Translator English - Bengali

সমভূমি
260 millions of speakers

Translator English - French

simple
220 millions of speakers

Translator English - Malay

kosong
190 millions of speakers

Translator English - German

schlicht
180 millions of speakers

Translator English - Japanese

平坦な
130 millions of speakers

Translator English - Korean

평평한
85 millions of speakers

Translator English - Javanese

Kosong
85 millions of speakers
vi

Translator English - Vietnamese

bằng phẳng
80 millions of speakers

Translator English - Tamil

வெற்று
75 millions of speakers

Translator English - Marathi

साधा
75 millions of speakers

Translator English - Turkish

sade
70 millions of speakers

Translator English - Italian

semplice
65 millions of speakers

Translator English - Polish

gładki
50 millions of speakers

Translator English - Ukrainian

простий
40 millions of speakers

Translator English - Romanian

uni
30 millions of speakers
el

Translator English - Greek

απέριττος
15 millions of speakers
af

Translator English - Afrikaans

plain
14 millions of speakers
sv

Translator English - Swedish

enkel
10 millions of speakers
no

Translator English - Norwegian

jevn
5 millions of speakers

Trends of use of plain

TRENDS

TENDENCIES OF USE OF THE TERM «PLAIN»

The term «plain» is very widely used and occupies the 4.497 position in our list of most widely used terms in the English dictionary.
0
100%
FREQUENCY
Very widely used
98
/100
The map shown above gives the frequency of use of the term «plain» in the different countries.
Principal search tendencies and common uses of plain
List of principal searches undertaken by users to access our English online dictionary and most widely used expressions with the word «plain».

FREQUENCY OF USE OF THE TERM «PLAIN» OVER TIME

The graph expresses the annual evolution of the frequency of use of the word «plain» during the past 500 years. Its implementation is based on analysing how often the term «plain» appears in digitalised printed sources in English between the year 1500 and the present day.

Examples of use in the English literature, quotes and news about plain

EXAMPLES

10 QUOTES WITH «PLAIN»

Famous quotes and sentences with the word plain.
1
Samuel Adams
How strangely will the Tools of a Tyrant pervert the plain Meaning of Words!
2
Irving Babbitt
The democratic idealist is prone to make light of the whole question of standards and leadership because of his unbounded faith in the plain people.
3
Rosecrans Baldwin
Frankly, it's depressing, each night sleeping in someone else's home. I miss having a roof to my name. Our situation isn't an 'All in the Family' cliche, but it's still easy to see reality in plain terms: I live with my in-laws, and I can't say when that will change.
4
April Bowlby
This is my breakfast: Two poached eggs, turkey bacon, and a half avocado. The yolks in a poached egg are alkalizing. Avocados are a great source of fat and vitamin E; great for your skin. It's super light and not too heavy. Sometimes I like a little sweet as well, so I have a cup of plain yogurt with blueberries.
5
Laurie Colwin
I myself am not particularly interested in restaurant cooking. I don't really want to learn how to make a napoleon. I'd much rather learn how to make a very good lemon cake, which you can make in your own home. I like plain, old-fashioned home food.
6
Laurie Colwin
I am not a fancy cook or an ambitious cook. I am a plain old cook.
7
Andrea Corr
There's a plain girl in everybody.
8
Hugh Dancy
I think becoming an actor because it's a ridiculously insecure profession to go into. I feel very comfortable but very lucky. I think any time that you imagine that it's plain sailing for hereon in, then you're kidding yourself.
9
Mitch Daniels
The mortal enemies of Social Security and Medicare are those who, in contempt of the plain arithmetic, continue to mislead Americans that we should change nothing.
10
Tryon Edwards
Mystery is but another name for ignorance; if we were omniscient, all would be perfectly plain!

10 ENGLISH BOOKS RELATING TO «PLAIN»

Discover the use of plain in the following bibliographical selection. Books relating to plain and brief extracts from same to provide context of its use in English literature.
1
The Art of Cookery Made Plain and Easy
Americas most popular cookbook in 1776. Reprinted from the first American edition of 1805. Includes a new introduction by food historian Karen Hess.
Hannah Glasse, 1805
2
Plain Truth
The discovery of a dead baby under a pile of old blankets in Aaron Fisher's barn sets off a scandal in Amish country and an investigation that could implicate Fisher's eighteen-year-old daughter.
Jodi Picoult, 2007
3
Sarah, Plain and Tall
"Did Mama sing every day?
Patricia MacLachlan, 1987
4
Plain Language for Lawyers
Michele M Asprey has comprehensively revised and updated Plain Language for Lawyers for this 3rd edition. The book now covers the significant developments in plain language and the law since 1996.
Michele M. Asprey, 2003
5
Bringing the Rain to Kapiti Plain
Find out how Ki-pat the herd boy ended a dreadful drought. An enjoyable and vividly illustrated rhyming story.
Verna Aardema, 1981
6
Lean Production Simplified, Second Edition: A Plain-Language ...
Written for the practitioner by a practitioner, this plain-language guide to the lean production system delivers a comprehensive insider's view of lean manufacturing.
Pascal Dennis, 2007
7
Grammar in Plain English
The new edition of this favorite English grammar helper is especially useful to ESL students, adults preparing to take the GED, and high school remedial English students.
Harriet Diamond, Phyllis Dutwin, 1997
8
In Plain Sight: The Startling Truth Behind the Elizabeth ...
This riveting inside story of the intense search for the Salt Lake City teenager reveals never-before-told details of the largest investigation in Utah state history.
Tom Smart, Lee Benson, 2006
9
Legal Writing in Plain English: A Text with Exercises
The book encourages legal writers to challenge conventions and offers valuable insights into the writing process: how to organize ideas, create and refine prose, and improve editing skills.
Bryan A. Garner, 2001
10
Paradise Lost in Plain and Simple English (A Modern ...
John Milton put a twist on the story of Adam and Eve--in the process he created what some have called one of the greatest literary works in the English Language.
BookCaps, John Milton, 2012

10 NEWS ITEMS WHICH INCLUDE THE TERM «PLAIN»

Find out what the national and international press are talking about and how the term plain is used in the context of the following news items.
1
Hiding in plain sight: Undergraduates discover the densest galaxies …
However, they were overlooked for decades because no one imagined such objects existed: they were hiding in plain sight", said Richard Vo. «Phys.Org, Jul 15»
2
Hiding in plain sight – a new species discovered in South East …
"Insects are an incredibly diverse group of organisms, and this discovery shows that there are new species literally hiding in plain sight – right ... «Phys.Org, Jul 15»
3
Hiding in Plain Sight: The Curious Legacy of Outkast
When it comes to hip-hop, everyone remembers who kicked down the front door -- but no one remembers who opened the windows. «PopMatters, Jul 15»
4
Plain Talk: Who needs time off anyway?
Editor Emeritus Dave Zweifel has been with The Capital Times since he graduated from UW-Madison in 1962, serving as the paper's editor in ... «Madison.com, Jul 15»
5
A Plain English Guide To The SECs Compensation Clawback Rules
As accounting restatements occur relatively infrequently, and the severity is often modest, the proposed "clawback" rules represent more of a ... «Mondaq News Alerts, Jul 15»
6
Jamaica Plain's Weather Forecast: Week of Intense Heat and Humidity
After a weekend which featured cooler temperatures, neighborhoods across Boston will have to deal with a potential heatwave. A week filled ... «Patch.com, Jul 15»
7
Plain talk vs. forked tongues: Why Trump appeals
Last November there occurred a Republican tsunami. Can anybody see any results of that great tide today? It reminds us of the smarty ... «Marietta Daily Journal, Jul 15»
8
Alcohol, junk food next plain packaging targets, lawyer warns
Ireland passed plain packaging laws in April that would strip tobacco products of most of their branding, much like in Australia. Australia ... «Sydney Morning Herald, Jul 15»
9
Two killed in Mitchells Plain shooting
CAPE TOWN – Western Cape police are investigating the motive behind a shooting in which two people were killed in Mitchells Plain. The men ... «Eyewitness News, Jul 15»
10
Co Clare is essential, profound, and just plain wonderful
Co Clare is essential, profound, and just plain wonderful ... blasé about, and that visitors view as profound (or odd, or just plain awesome). «Irish Examiner, Jul 15»

REFERENCE
« EDUCALINGO. Plain [online]. Available <https://educalingo.com/en/dic-en/plain>. May 2024 ».
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