A- (3) prefix meaning "not," from Gk a-, an- "not," from pie base *ne "not" (see un-)

plateau --- 1796, "elevated tract of relatively level land," from Fr. plateau, from O.Fr. platel (12c.) "flat piece of metal, wood, etc.," dim. of plat "flat surface or thing," noun use of adj. plat (see plat). Meaning "stage at which no progress is apparent" is attested from 1897, originally in psychology of learning. The verb is attested from 1952, from the noun.

platelet --- 1895, formed in Eng. from plate (q.v.) + dim. suffix -let.

platform --- 1550, "plan of action, scheme, design," from M.Fr. plate-forme, lit. "flat form," from O.Fr. plate "flat" (see plat) + forme "form" (see form). The literal sense of "raised, level surface" is first recorded 1560. Political meaning, "statement of party policies," is from 1803, probably originally an image of a lit. platform on which politicians gather, stand, and make their appeals, perhaps influenced by earlier sense of "set of rules governing church doctrine" (first attested 1573). Railroad station sense is from 1838.

platinum --- 1812, from Mod.L., from Sp. platina "platinum," dim. of plata "silver," from O.Fr. plate or O.Prov. plata "sheet of metal" (see plate). The element so called because it looks like silver. Earlier taken directly from Sp. as platina (c.1750). As a shade of blond hair, attested from 1931. As a designation for a recording that has sold at least one million copies, it is attested from 1971.

platitude --- 1812, "dullness," from Fr. platitude "flatness, vapidness" (1694), from O.Fr. plat "flat" (see plate); formed on analogy of latitude, attitude, etc. Meaning "a flat, dull, or commonplace remark" is recorded from 1815.

Platonic --- 1533, "of or pertaining to Gk. philosopher Plato" (429 B.C.E.-c.347 B.C.E.). The name is Gk. Platon, properly "broad-shouldered" (from platys "broad;" see place (n.)). His original name was Aristocles. The meaning "love (for one of the opposite sex) free of sensual desire" (1631), which the word usually carries nowadays, is a Renaissance notion; it is based on Plato's writings in "Symposium" about the kind of interest Socrates took in young men, which originally had no reference to women.

platoon --- 1637, from Fr. peloton "platoon, group of people" (15c.), from M.Fr. peloton, lit. "little ball," hence, "agglomeration," dim. of O.Fr. pelote "ball" (see pellet). The verb, in baseball, "to alternate (a player) with another in the same position" is attested from 1967.

Plattdeutsch --- Low German dialect of northern Germany, 1814, from Ger., from Du. platduits, lit. "flat (or low) German," from plat "flat, plain, clear" (see plat) + duits "German" (see Dutch).

platter --- c.1280, platere, from Anglo-Fr. plater, O.Fr. plate (see plate).

platypus --- 1799, from Mod.L., from Gk. platypous, lit. "flat-footed," from platys "broad, flat" (see place (n.)) + pous "foot."

plaudit --- 1624, short for plaudite (1567), from L. plaudite! "applaud!" second person plural imperative of plaudere "to clap, applaud, approve," of unknown origin (also in applaud, explode). This was the customary appeal for applause that Roman actors made at the end of a play.

plausible --- 1541, "acceptable, agreeable," from L. plausibilis "deserving applause, acceptable," from pp. stem of plaudere "to applaud" (see plaudit). Meaning "having the appearance of truth" is recorded from 1565.

play (n.) --- O.E. plega (W.Saxon), plæga (Anglian) "recreation, exercise, any brisk activity" (the latter sense preserved in swordplay, etc.), from play (v.). Meaning "dramatic performance" is attested from c.1325. Meaning "free or unimpeded movement" is from 1653. Sporting sense first attested 1868. Playwright first recorded 1687; play-bill is from 1673. Player is from 1382 in general sense; pimps' word for themselves from 1974. Play-by-play is attested from 1927.

play (v.) --- O.E. plegian "to exercise, frolic, perform music," from W.Gmc. *plegan (cf. M.Du. pleyen "to rejoice, be glad"), of uncertain origin. Opposed to work (v.) since 1377. Playground is attested from 1780. Playmate is from 1642 in the innocent sense, from 1954 in the sexual sense; playboy "wealthy bon vivant" is from 1829; fem. equivalent playgirl is first recorded 1934. Plaything is from 1675. To play up "emphasize" is from 1909; to play down "minimize" is from 1930. To play with oneself "masturbate" is from 1896; play for keeps is from 1861, originally of marbles or other children's games with tokens. To play the (something) card is attested from 1886; to play fair is from c.1440. Play-dough is first recorded 1959. To play (something) safe is from 1911; to play favorites is attested from 1902. For play the field see field.

plaza --- 1683, from Sp. plaza "square, place," from V.L. *plattia, from L. platea "courtyard, broad street" (see place (n.)).

plea --- c.1215, "lawsuit," from Anglo-Fr. plai (c.1170), O.Fr. plait "lawsuit, decision, decree" (842), from M.L. placitum "lawsuit," in classical L., "opinion, decree," lit. "that which pleases, thing which is agreed upon," properly neut. pp. of placere (see please). Sense development seems to be from "something pleasant," to "something that pleases both sides," to "something that has been decided." Meaning "a pleading, an agreement in a suit" is attested from c.1381. Plea bargaining is first attested 1963. Common pleas (c.1215) originally were legal proceedings over which the Crown did not claim exclusive jurisdiction (as distinct from pleas of the Crown); later "actions brought by one subject against another."

plead --- c.1250, "make a plea in court," from Anglo-Fr. pleder, O.Fr. pleider, plaidier, "agreement, discussion, lawsuit," from M.L. placitare, from L.L. placitum (see plea). Sense of "request, beg" first recorded 1390.

pleasant --- 1320, from O.Fr. plaisant, prp. of plaisir "to please" (see please). Pleasantry "sprightly humor in conversation" (1655) is from Fr. plaisanterie, from O.Fr. plesanterie (13c.), from plaisant. It has the word's modern Fr. sense of "funny, jocular."

please (v.) --- c.1325, "to be agreeable," from O.Fr. plaisir (Fr. plaire) "to please," from L. placere "to be acceptable, be liked, be approved," related to placare "to soothe, quiet," from PIE base *p(e)lag- "to smooth, make even" (cf. Gk. plax, gen. plakos "level surface," plakoeis "flat;" Lett. plakt "to become flat;" O.N. flaga "layer of earth;" Norw. flag "open sea;" O.E. floh "piece of stone, fragment;" O.H.G. fluoh "cliff"). Intransitive sense (e.g. do as you please) first recorded 1500; imperative use (e.g. please do this), first recorded 1622, was probably a shortening of if it please (you) (1388). Verbs for "please" supply the stereotype polite word ("Please come in," short for may it please you to ...) in many languages (Fr., It.), "But more widespread is the use of the first singular of a verb for 'ask, request' " [Buck, who cites Ger. bitte, Pol. prasze, etc.] Sp. favor is short for hace el favor "do the favor." Dan. has in this sense vær saa god, lit. "be so good."

pleasure (n.) --- 1390, "condition of enjoyment," from O.Fr. plesir "enjoyment, delight" (12c.), from plaisir (v.) "to please," from L. placere (see please (v.)). Ending alt. in Eng. 14c. by infl. of words in -ure (measure, etc.). Meaning "sensual enjoyment as the chief object of life" is attested from 1526. The verb meaning "to give pleasure to" is recorded from c.1559; sexual sense by c.1616.

pleat --- 1570, used as the verb version of plait (q.v.). Later (1581) as a noun.

plebe --- member of the lowest class at a U.S. military academy, 1833, probably a shortened form of plebian (q.v.), which in L. had the short form plebs or plebes.

plebian --- 1533 (n.), 1566 (adj.), from L. plebius "of the common people," from plebes "the common people" (as opposed to patricians, etc.), perhaps from PIE base *ple- "to be full" (see plenary). Slang shortening pleb is attested from 1865 (see plebe).

plebiscite --- direct vote of the people, 1860 (originally in ref. to Italian unification), from Fr. plébiscite (1776 in modern sense), from L. plebiscitum "a decree or resolution of the people," from plebs (gen. plebis) "the common people" + scitum "decree," properly neuter pp. of sciscere "to assent, vote for, approve," inchoative of scire "to know" (see science). Used earlier (1533) in a purely Roman historical context.

plectrum --- 1626, from L. plectrum, from Gk. plektron "thing to strike with" (pick for a lyre, cock's supr, spear point, etc.), from plek-, root of plessein "to strike."

pledge --- 1348, "surety, bail," from O.Fr. plege (Fr. pleige) "hostage, security, bail," probably from Frank. *plegan "to guarantee," from a W.Gmc. root meaning "have responsibility for" (cf. O.Saxon plegan "vouch for," O.H.G. pflegan "to care for, be accustomed to," O.E. pleon "to risk, expose to danger"). Meaning "allegiance vow attested by drinking with another" is from 1635. Sense of "solemn promise" first recorded 1814, though this meaning is from c.1400 in the verb. Weekley notes the "curious contradiction" in pledge "to toast with a drink" (1546) and pledge "the vow to abstain from drinking" (1833). Noun meaning "student who has agreed to join a fraternity or sorority" dates from 1901.

Pleiades --- 1388, the seven daughters of Atlas and Pleione, transformed by Zeus into seven stars, from L., from Gk. Pleiades, perhaps lit. "constellation of the doves" from a shortened form of peleiades, pl. of peleias "dove," from PIE base *pel- "dark-colored, gray." Or perhaps from plein "to sail," because the season of navigation begins with their heliacal rising. Mentioned by Hesiod (pre-700 B.C.E.), only six now are visible to most people; on a clear night a good eye can see nine (in 1579, well before the invention of the telescope, astronomer Moestlin correctly drew 11 Pleiades stars); telescopes reveal at least 500.

plein-air --- 1894, from Fr. phrase en plein air, lit. "in the open air." The style developed among Fr. impressionists c.1870.

Pleistocene --- pertaining to the glacial period, 1839, coined by Lyell from Gk. pleistos "most" (superl. of polys "much;" see poly-) + kainos "new."

plenary --- 1517, earlier plenar (c.1290), from M.L. plenarius "entire, complete," from L. plenus "full," from PIE *ple- "to be full" (see poly-).

plenipotentiary --- c.1645, from M.L. plenipotentiarius "having full power," from L. plenus "full" (see plenary) + potentem "powerful" (see potent).

plenitude --- 1432, from O.Fr. plenitude, from L. plenitudinem (nom. plenitudo) "abundance, completeness, fullness," from plenus "complete, full" (see plenary).

plenteous --- 1297, from O.Fr. plentiveus "fertile, rich" (c.1220), from plentif "abundant," from plenté "abundance" (see plenty).

plenty --- c.1225, from O.Fr. plentet (12c., Mod.Fr. dial. plenté), from L. plenitatem (nom. plenitas) "fullness," from plenus "complete, full" (see plenary). The colloquial adv. meaning "very much" is first attested 1842. Plentiful is first recorded c.1470.

plenum --- 1678, "filled space" (opposite of vacuum), from L. plenum (spatium) "full (space)," neuter of plenus "complete, full" (see plenary). The meaning "of a full assembly of legislators" is first recorded 1772.

pleonasm --- redundancy in words, 1586, from L.L. pleonasmus, from Gk. pleonasmos, from pleonasein "to be more than enough," from pleon "more," comp. of polys "much," from PIE *ple- (see poly-).

plesiosaurus --- 1825, from Mod.L. (1821), coined by William Daniel Conybeare (1787-1857) from Gk. plesios "near" + sauros "lizard."

plethora --- 1541, a medical word for "excess of body fluid," from L.L. plethora, from Gk. plethore "fullness," from plethein "be full" (see poly-). Fig. meaning "too much, overfullness in any respect" is first recorded 1700.

pleurisy --- 1398, from O.Fr. pleurisie (13c.), from L.L. pleurisis "pleurisy" (c.400), alt. of L. pleuritis "pain in the side," from Gk. pleuritis, from pleura "side of the body, rib," of unknown origin. Spelling alt. in L.L. on model of L. stem plur- "more" (cf. M.L. pluritas "multitude"), as if in ref. to "excess of humors."

Plexiglas --- 1935, proprietary name (Röhm & Haas) for a substance also sold as Perspex and Lucite.

plexus --- 1682, Mod.L., lit. "braid, network," from pp. of L. plectere "to twine, braid, fold," used of a network, such as solar plexus "network of nerves in the abdomen" (see solar).

pliant --- c.1300, from O.Fr. pliant "bending" (13c.), prp. of plier "to bend" (see ply (n.)). Fig. sense of "easily influenced" is from c.1400. Pliable is first recorded 1483, from O.Fr. pliable "flexible," from plier.

plie --- in ballet, 1892, from Fr. plié, lit. "to bend," from O.Fr. plier (see ply (n.)).

pliers --- 1568, formed from ply (n.). Fr. cognate plieur meant "folder."

plight (n.) --- condition or state (usually bad), c.1175, from Anglo-Fr. plit, O.Fr. pleit "condition" (13c.), originally "way of folding," from V.L. *plictum, from L. plicitum, neut. pp. of L. plicare "to fold, lay" (see ply (v.)). Originally in neutral sense (as in modern Fr. en bon plit "in good condition"), sense of "harmful state" is probably from convergence with plight (v.) via notion of "entangling risk, pledge or promise with great risk to the pledger."

plight (v.) --- pledge, obsolete except in archaic plight one's troth, from O.E. pligtan "endanger," verb form of pliht "danger, risk," from P.Gmc. *pleg- (cf. O.E. pleon "to risk the loss of, expose to danger," O.Fris., M.Du. plicht "care, carefulness," O.H.G. pfliht, Ger. pflicht "obligation, duty," M.Du. plien "to answer for, guarantee").

Plimsoll --- mark on the hull of a British ship showing how deeply she may be loaded, 1881, from Samuel Plimsoll (1824-98), M.P. for Derby and advocate of shipping reform (which were embodied in the Merchant Shipping Act of 1876). Sense extended 1907 to "rubber-soled canvas shoe" (equivalent of Amer.Eng. sneakers) because the band around the shoes that holds the two parts together reminded people of a ship's Plimsoll line; sense perhaps reinforced by sound assoc. with sole.

plinth --- 1611, from Fr. plinthe, from L. plinthus, from Gk. plinthos "brick, squared stone," cognate with O.E. flint (see flint).

Pliocene --- 1833, from Gk. pleion "more" + kainos "new."

plod --- 1562, of uncertain origin, perhaps imitative of the sound of walking heavily or slowly. Plodding "diligent and dull" is attested from 1589.

plop (v.) --- 1821, imitative of the sound of a smooth object dropping into water.

plosive --- type of consonantal sound, 1899, from (ex)plosive (q.v.).

plot --- O.E. plot "small piece of ground," of unknown origin. Sense of "ground plan," and thus "map, chart" is 1551; that of "plan, scheme" is 1587, probably by accidental similarity to complot, from O.Fr. complot "combined plan," of unknown origin, perhaps a back-formation from compeloter "to roll into a ball." Meaning "set of events in a story" is from 1649. The verb is first attested 1589 in the sense of "to lay plans for" (usually with evil intent); 1590 in the lit. sense of "to make a map or diagram."

plough --- see plow.

plover --- 1304, from Anglo-Fr. plover, O.Fr. pluvier, earlier plovier (c.1200), from V.L. *plovarius, lit. "belonging to rain," from L. pluvia "rain." Perhaps so called because the birds' migration arrival coincides with the start of the rainy season, or from its supposed restlessness when rain approaches.

plow (n.) --- O.E. plog, ploh "plow, plowland (a measure of land)," possibly from Scand. (cf. O.N. plogr "plow"), from P.Gmc. *plogo- (cf. O.Fris. ploch, M.L.G. ploch, M.Du. ploech, O.H.G. pfluog). O.C.S. plugu, Lith. plugas "plow" are Germanic loan-words, as is probably L. plovus, plovum "plow," a word said by Pliny to be of Rhaetian origin. Replaced O.E. sulh, cognate with L. sulcus "furrow." As a name for the Big Dipper, it is recorded from 1513. The verb is first recorded c.1420. Plowshare is first recorded c.1380.

ploy --- 1722, "anything with which one amuses oneself," Scottish and northern England dialect, possibly a shortened form of employ or deploy. Popularized in the sense "move or gambit made to gain advantage" by British humorist Stephen Potter (1900-1969).

pluck (v.) --- late O.E. ploccian "pull off, cull," from W.Gmc. *plokken (cf. M.L.G. plucken, M.Du. plocken, Flem. plokken), perhaps from V.L. *piluccare (cf. O.Fr. peluchier, c.1180), a frequentative, ultimately from L. pilare "pull out hair," from pilus "hair." But despite the similarities, OED finds difficulties with this and cites gaps in historical evidence. Noun sense of "courage, boldness" (1785) is originally boxing slang, from meaning "heart, viscera" (1611) as that which is "plucked" from slaughtered livestock. Perhaps infl. by fig. use in pluck up (one's courage, etc.), attested from c.1300. Hence, plucky (1842).

plug --- 1627, originally a seamen's term, probably from Du. plug, from M.Du. plugge "bung, stopper," related to Norw. plugg, Dan. pløg, M.L.G. pluck, Ger. pflock, ultimate origin uncertain. Sense of "wad or stick of tobacco" is attested from 1728. Electrical sense is from 1883; meaning "sparking device in an internal combustion engine" is from 1886. The verb meaning "to close tightly (a hole), to fill" is first recorded 1630. Meaning "advertisement" first recorded 1902, perhaps from verb sense "work energetically at" (c.1865). The noun sense of "advertisement" is from 1902, Amer.Eng. The verb meaning "to popularize by repetition" is from 1906. Slang verb sense "to put a bullet into" is recorded from 1870. Plug-ugly "ruffian" is first attested 1856, originally in Baltimore, from plug, Amer.Eng. slang for the stovepipe hats then popular among young men.

plum --- O.E. plume, early Gmc. borrowing (cf. M.Du. prume, O.H.G. phruma, Ger. Pflaume) from V.L. *pruna, from L. prunum "plum," from Gk. prounon, later form of proumnon, from an Asiatic language. Change of pr- to pl- is unique to Gmc. Meaning "something desirable" is first recorded 1780, probably in ref. to the sugar-rich bits of a plum pudding, etc.

plumage --- 1481, "feathers," from O.Fr. plumage (14c.), from plume (see plume).

plumb (n.) --- c.1300, "lead hung on a string to show the vertical line," from O.Fr. *plombe, plomme "sounding lead," from L.L. *plumba, originally pl. of L. plumbum "lead," the metal, of unknown origin, related to Gk. molybdos "lead" (dial. bolimos), probably from an extinct Mediterranean language, perhaps Iberian. The verb is first recorded c.1380, with sense "to immerse;" meaning "take soundings with a plumb" is first recorded 1568; fig. sense of "to get to the bottom of" is from 1599. Plumb-bob is from 1835. Adj. sense of "perpendicular, vertical" is from c.1460; the notion of "exact measurement" led to extended sense of "completely, downright" (1748), sometimes spelled plump or plunk.

plumbago --- graphite, 1784, from L. plumbago "a type of lead ore, black lead," from plumbum "lead" (see plumb); it renders Gk. molybdaina, which was used of yellow lead oxide and also of a type of plant.

plumber --- c.1100, "a worker in any sort of lead," from O.Fr. plummier (Fr. plombier), from L. plumbarius "worker in lead," properly an adj., "pertaining to lead," from plumbum "lead" (see plumb). Meaning shifted 19c. to "workman who installs pipes and fittings" as lead water pipes became the principal concern of the trade. In U.S. Nixon administration (1969-74), the name of a special unit for investigation of "leaks" of government secrets. Plumbing "water pipes" is first recorded 1884.

plume --- 1399, "a feather" (especially a large and conspicuous one), from O.Fr. plume, from L. pluma "feather, down," from PIE base *pleus- "to pluck, a feather, fleece" (cf. O.E. fleos "fleece"). Meaning "a long streamer of smoke, etc." is first attested 1878. The verb meaning "to dress the feathers" is from 1702.

plummet (n.) --- 1382, "ball of lead, plumb of a bob-line," from O.Fr. plomet, dim. of plom "sounding lead" (see plumb). The verb is first recorded 1626, originally "to fathom, take soundings," from the noun. Meaning "to fall rapidly" first recorded 1939.

plump (adj.) --- 1481, "blunt, dull" (in manners), from Du. plomp "blunt, thick, massive, stumpy," probably related to plompen "fall or drop heavily" (see plump (v.)). Meaning "fleshy, of rounded form" is from 1545.

plump (v.) --- c.1300, "to fall or strike with a full impact," from M.Du. plompen, or M.L.G. plumpen, probably of imitative origin. Meaning "to plump (something) up, to cause to swell" is first recorded 1533, from the adj.

plunder (v.) --- 1632, from M.H.G. plunderen "to plunder," originally "to take away household furniture," from plunder "household goods, clothes" (cf. M.H.G. plunder "lumber, baggage," 14c.; M.Du. plunder "household goods;" Fris., Du. plunje "clothes"). A word acquired by English via the Thirty Years War and applied in native use after the outbreak of the Civil War in 1642. The noun meaning "goods taken by force" is from 1647.

plunge (v.) --- c.1380, from O.Fr. plungier (c.1140), from V.L. *plumbicare "to heave the lead," from L. plumbum "lead" (see plumb). Original notion perhaps is of a sounding lead or a fishing net weighted with lead. Fig. use in take the plunge "commit oneself" is from 1845. Plunger as a mechanism is from 1777. Plunging neckline attested from 1949.

plunk --- 1805, "to pluck a stringed instrument;" 1808 in sense of "drop down abruptly." Probably of imitative origin in both cases.

pluperfect --- 1530, shortened from L. (tempus praeteritum) plus (quam) perfectum "(past tense) more (than) perfect." Translates Gk. khronos hypersyntelikos. See plus and perfect.

plural --- 1377, from O.Fr. plurel "more than one" (12c.), from L. pluralis "of or belonging to more than one," from plus (gen. pluris) "more" (see plus).

pluralism --- 1818, as a term in church administration, from plural (q.v.) + -ism. Attested from 1882 as a term in philosophy for a theory which recognizes more than one ultimate principle. In political science, attested from 1919 (in Harold J. Laski) in sense "theory which opposes monolithic state power." Gen. sense of "toleration of diversity within a society or state" is from 1933.

plus --- 1579, the oral rendering of the arithmetical sign +, from L. plus "more" (comparative of multus "much"), altered by influence of minus from *pleos, from PIE *ple- "full" (see plenary). Placed after a whole number to indicate "and a little more," it is attested from 1902. As a conj., "and," it is Amer.Eng. colloquial, attested from 1968. Plus fours (1921) were four inches longer in the leg than standard knickerbockers, to produce an overhang, originally a style assoc. with golfers. The plus-sign itself has been well-known since at least 1489 and is perhaps an abbreviation of L. et (see etc.).

plus ça change --- 1903, from Fr. phrase plus ça change, plus c'est la même chose (1849), lit. "the more it changes, the more it stays the same."

plush --- soft fabric, 1594, from M.Fr. pluche "shag, plush," contraction of peluche "hairy fabric," from O.Fr. peluchier "to pull, to tug, to pluck" (the final process in weaving plush), from V.L. *piluccare "remove hair" (see pluck). The adj. meaning "swank, luxurious" is first attested 1927; plushy in this sense is recorded from 1923.

Pluto --- Roman god of the underworld, brother of Zeus and Neptune, from L. Pluto, from Gk. Plouton "god of wealth," lit. "wealth, riches," probably originally "overflowing," from PIE *pleu- "to flow. The planet (since downgraded) was discovered 1930 by C.W. Tombaugh; Minerva also was suggested as a name for it. The cartoon dog first appeared in Walt Disney's "Moose Hunt," released April 1931.

plutocracy --- 1652, from Gk. ploutokratia "rule or power of the wealthy or of wealth," from ploutos "wealth" (see Pluto) + -kratia "rule," from kratos "rule, power." Plutocrat is 1850.

plutonic --- pertaining to or involving intense heat deep in the earth's crust, 1796, from Pluto (q.v.) as god of the underworld; especially in ref. to early 19c. geological theory (championed by Hutton) that attributed most of the earth's features to action of internal heat, and which triumphed over its rival, neptunism, which attributed them to water.