Illustration of plane
- 3plane
1
a
[by shortening]
: airplane
b
: one of the main supporting surfaces of an airplane
2
a
: a surface in which if any two points are chosen a straight line joining them lies wholly in that surface
b
: a flat or level surface
3
: a level of existence, consciousness, or development
on the intellectual plane
planed; planing
1
a
: to make smooth or even : level
b
: to make smooth or even by use of a plane
2
: to remove by or as if by planing
—often used with away or off
planer
noun
: any of a genus (Platanus of the family Platanaceae, the plane-tree family) of chiefly deciduous trees with large palmately lobed leaves, flowers in globose heads, and usually scaling bark
called also buttonwood, plane tree, sycamore
planed; planing
1
a
: to fly while keeping the wings motionless
b
: to skim across the surface of the water
2
: to travel by airplane
Synonyms
Examples of plane in a Sentence
Adjective
you can do these tracings on any plane surface
Recent Examples on the Web
Emily Belfiore, Travel + Leisure, 17 Sep. 2023
It is widely accepted that the target of the fourth plane, Flight 93, was either the U.S. Capitol or the White House.
—Kevin Dayhoff, Baltimore Sun, 16 Sep. 2023
The ceremony was accompanied by mini-non-opera songs (songs with no plot, sung in an operatic way) about water, as well as an annual paper plane throwing event.
—Catherine Nicholls, CNN, 15 Sep. 2023
Written by: Hank Williams/Cole Porter A variation of a 1940s Cole Porter tune of the same name, with Williams writing his version while on a plane flight.
—Matt Wake | Mwake@al.com, al, 15 Sep. 2023
The Federal Aviation Administration confirmed to Fox News Digital that the plane was a Seawind 3000, a four-seat amphibious airplane.
—Sarah Rumpf-Whitten, Fox News, 15 Sep. 2023
The last, a 22-year-old airman from California, went down with the plane.
—Sonja Anderson, Smithsonian Magazine, 15 Sep. 2023
The facility produces Russian civilian and military planes, including Su-35 and Su-57 fighter jets, according to Tass, the Russian state news agency.
—Paul Sonne, New York Times, 15 Sep. 2023
Closer analysis found that the appearance of speed was an optical illusion caused by the plane’s own angle and velocity, the report stated.
—Corinne Purtill, Los Angeles Times, 14 Sep. 2023
Kate Brady, BostonGlobe.com, 15 Aug. 2023
Then, a time jump happens, and the book ends with Belly a little older, and planing to marry Conrad.
—Olivia Evans, Women's Health, 4 Aug. 2023
Bronson announced a proposal to buy homeless people plane tickets out of the state or to other Alaska cities to avoid the frigid winter temperatures instead of standing up Anchorage's sports arena as a mass shelter.
—Mark Thiessen, BostonGlobe.com, 30 July 2023
This may solve the problem of the sticking door, but if the wood is permanently warped, your best bet for how to fix a sticky door is planing the door to fit the doorframe.
—Timothy Dale, Better Homes & Gardens, 27 July 2023
Minutes later, Red learned of Ressler’s visit, and planed his trip to drop the skull off at the Miura Bull Ranch.
—Henry Chandonnet, Peoplemag, 14 July 2023
With your legs curved and feet perpendicular on top of the board, the board will plane at just three miles per hour and the pressure will tilt the board against your feet.
—Tim Newcomb, Popular Mechanics, 13 July 2023
The Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee is planing to file a lawsuit to obtain West Virginia Gov. Jim Justice's official schedule and calendar, according to a letter the committee is sending the Republican governor's general counsel on Monday, shared first with NBC News.
—Bridget Bowman, NBC News, 15 May 2023
Ice is first scraped and planed across three or four acres near the house, then [sawed] into blocks or cakes 22 by 32 inches, and in some places 44 inches square.
—Mark Fischetti, Scientific American, 1 Feb. 2023
Christian Holub, EW.com, 16 Oct. 2021
But those cars were powered by pushrod engines with conventional cross-plane cranks.
—Rich Ceppos, Car and Driver, 2 Oct. 2022
Instead, the Project GTP Hypercar’s engine, as Road & Track points out, sounds much more like a classic American V-8 with a cross-plane crank.
—Bryan Hood, Robb Report, 13 July 2022
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Noun
This also makes the Pomegranate Peptide Firming Serum great for travelers, particularly ones that will be spending a lot of time in plane cabins (which are notorious for drying out the skin).
—Emily Belfiore, Travel + Leisure, 17 Sep. 2023
It is widely accepted that the target of the fourth plane, Flight 93, was either the U.S. Capitol or the White House.
—Kevin Dayhoff, Baltimore Sun, 16 Sep. 2023
The ceremony was accompanied by mini-non-opera songs (songs with no plot, sung in an operatic way) about water, as well as an annual paper plane throwing event.
—Catherine Nicholls, CNN, 15 Sep. 2023
Written by: Hank Williams/Cole Porter A variation of a 1940s Cole Porter tune of the same name, with Williams writing his version while on a plane flight.
—Matt Wake | Mwake@al.com, al, 15 Sep. 2023
The Federal Aviation Administration confirmed to Fox News Digital that the plane was a Seawind 3000, a four-seat amphibious airplane.
—Sarah Rumpf-Whitten, Fox News, 15 Sep. 2023
The last, a 22-year-old airman from California, went down with the plane.
—Sonja Anderson, Smithsonian Magazine, 15 Sep. 2023
The facility produces Russian civilian and military planes, including Su-35 and Su-57 fighter jets, according to Tass, the Russian state news agency.
—Paul Sonne, New York Times, 15 Sep. 2023
Closer analysis found that the appearance of speed was an optical illusion caused by the plane’s own angle and velocity, the report stated.
—Corinne Purtill, Los Angeles Times, 14 Sep. 2023
Verb
After the string of calamities, the parliament signed off on buying three new Airbus A350 planes for $1.6 billion in 2019.
—Kate Brady, BostonGlobe.com, 15 Aug. 2023
Then, a time jump happens, and the book ends with Belly a little older, and planing to marry Conrad.
—Olivia Evans, Women's Health, 4 Aug. 2023
Bronson announced a proposal to buy homeless people plane tickets out of the state or to other Alaska cities to avoid the frigid winter temperatures instead of standing up Anchorage's sports arena as a mass shelter.
—Mark Thiessen, BostonGlobe.com, 30 July 2023
This may solve the problem of the sticking door, but if the wood is permanently warped, your best bet for how to fix a sticky door is planing the door to fit the doorframe.
—Timothy Dale, Better Homes & Gardens, 27 July 2023
Minutes later, Red learned of Ressler’s visit, and planed his trip to drop the skull off at the Miura Bull Ranch.
—Henry Chandonnet, Peoplemag, 14 July 2023
With your legs curved and feet perpendicular on top of the board, the board will plane at just three miles per hour and the pressure will tilt the board against your feet.
—Tim Newcomb, Popular Mechanics, 13 July 2023
The Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee is planing to file a lawsuit to obtain West Virginia Gov. Jim Justice's official schedule and calendar, according to a letter the committee is sending the Republican governor's general counsel on Monday, shared first with NBC News.
—Bridget Bowman, NBC News, 15 May 2023
Ice is first scraped and planed across three or four acres near the house, then [sawed] into blocks or cakes 22 by 32 inches, and in some places 44 inches square.
—Mark Fischetti, Scientific American, 1 Feb. 2023
Adjective
Plus this episode also delivers peak unhinged Lex while he's stranded on an island post-plane crash and suffering from malaria, which leads to a moment that teases his natural killer instincts that he's kept so well hidden from Clark, and the world, so far.
—Christian Holub, EW.com, 16 Oct. 2021
But those cars were powered by pushrod engines with conventional cross-plane cranks.
—Rich Ceppos, Car and Driver, 2 Oct. 2022
Instead, the Project GTP Hypercar’s engine, as Road & Track points out, sounds much more like a classic American V-8 with a cross-plane crank.
—Bryan Hood, Robb Report, 13 July 2022
See More
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'plane.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Word History
Etymology
Noun (1)
Latin planum, from neuter of planus level
Verb (1)
Middle English, from Anglo-French planer, from Late Latin planare, from Latin planus level — more at floor
Noun (2)
Middle English, from Anglo-French, from Late Latin plana, from planare
Noun (3)
Middle English, from Anglo-French, from Latin platanus, from Greek platanos; probably akin to Greek platys broad — more at place
Verb (2)
Middle English, from Middle French planer, from plain level, plain
Adjective
Latin planus
First Known Use
Noun (1)
1604, in the meaning defined at sense 2a
Verb (1)
14th century, in the meaning defined at transitive sense 1a
Noun (2)
14th century, in the meaning defined above
Noun (3)
14th century, in the meaning defined above
Verb (2)
15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a
Adjective
14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1
Time Traveler
The first known use of plane was
in the 14th century
Phrases Containing plane
Articles Related to plane
Dictionary Entries Near plane
Cite this Entry
“Plane.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/plane. Accessed 25 Sep. 2023.
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Kids Definition
plane
1 of 5 verb
planed; planing
1
: to make smooth or level especially with a plane
2
: to remove by planing
—often used with away or off
planer
noun
plane
2 of 5 noun
: a tool for smoothing or shaping wood
plane
3 of 5 noun1
a
: a surface in which a straight line joining any two points on the surface also lies completely on the surface
b
: a flat or level surface
2
: a level of existence or development
on the intellectual plane
3
a
: one of the main supporting surfaces of an airplane
b
: airplane
plane
4 of 5 adjective1
: having no elevations or depressions : flat
2
a
: of, relating to, or dealing with planes
plane geometry
b
: lying within a plane
a plane curve
plane
5 of 5 verb
planed; planing
1
: to fly while keeping the wings still
2
: to travel by airplane
Etymology
Verb
Middle English planen "to make smooth or level," from early French planer (same meaning), derived from Latin planus "level" — related to plain entry 1
Adjective
from Latin planus "level"
Verb
from French planer "to fly while keeping the wings motionless," from plain "level, plain"; so called from the fact that the wings of a soaring bird form a level surface
Medical Definition
plane
noun1
a
: a surface that contains at least three points not all in a straight line and is such that a line drawn through any two points in it lies wholly in the surface
b
: an imaginary plane used to identify parts of the body or a part of the skull see frankfort horizontal plane, midsagittal plane
2
: a stage in surgical anesthesia
a light plane of anesthesia is maintained with cyclopropane—Journal of the American Medical Association
Journal of the American Medical Association
More from Merriam-Webster on plane
Nglish: Translation of plane for Spanish Speakers
Britannica English: Translation of plane for Arabic Speakers
Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about plane
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