Plain meaning
Having no visible elevation or depression; flat; level.
adjective
Clearly understood; evident; obvious.
To make one's meaning plain.
adjective
Clearly; simply.
Plain stubborn.
adverb
Flat; level; plane.
adjective
Free from obstructions; open; clear.
In plain view.
adjective
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Not complicated; simple.
Plain sewing.
adjective
Neither good-looking nor ugly.
A well-dressed woman with a rather plain face.
adjective
Not figured, dyed, or twilled.
Plain cloth.
adjective
Pure; unmixed.
Plain soda.
adjective
Not of high rank or position; such as characterizes the common people; ordinary.
A plain man.
adjective
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Not mixed with other substances; pure.
Plain water.
adjective
Something free of ornamentation or extraneous matter.
noun
Not luxurious or ornate; unembellished.
A plain coat.
adjective
An extent of relatively level country with few trees; prairie, steppe, etc.
noun
Clearly or simply.
Just plain tired.
adverb
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Free from obstructions; open; clear.
In plain view.
adjective
Obvious to the perception or mind; evident.
Make one's intention plain.
adjective
Not dyed, twilled, or patterned.
A plain fabric.
adjective
To complain.
verb
An extensive, relatively level area of land. Plains are present on all continents except Antarctica and are most often located in the interior regions. Because they can occur at almost any altitude or latitude, plains can be humid and forested, semiarid and grass-covered, or arid.
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A broad, level expanse, such as an area of the sea floor or a lunar mare.
Simple.
- He was dressed simply in plain black clothes.A plain tune.
- A plain pink polycotton skirt.
- Simple in habits or qualities; unsophisticated, not exceptional, ordinary. [from 16th c.].They're just plain people like you or me.
- (of food) Having only few ingredients, or no additional ingredients or seasonings; not elaborate, without toppings or extras. [from 17th c.].Would you like a poppy bagel or a plain bagel?.
- (computing) Containing no extended or nonprinting characters (especially in plain text). [from 20th c.].
adjective
Not unusually beautiful; unattractive. [from 17th c.]
Throughout high school she worried that she had a rather plain face.
adjective
The definition of plain is clearly understood, obvious, simple or not complicated.
An example of plain is using basic language to describe something.
An example of plain is unflavored yogurt.
An example of plain is a woman without make-up.
adjective
Sheer; utter; unqualified.
Plain stupidity.
adjective
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Common in rank or station; average; ordinary.
A plain man.
adjective
Origin of plain
- Middle English from Old French from Latin plānus pelə-2 in Indo-European roots
From American Heritage Dictionary of the English Language, 5th Edition
- From Anglo-Norman plainer, pleiner, variant of Anglo-Norman and Old French pleindre, plaindre, from Latin plangere, present active infinitive of plangÅ.
From Wiktionary
- From Anglo-Norman pleyn, playn, Middle French plain, plein, from Latin plÄnus (“flat, even, level, plain").
From Wiktionary
- From Old French plain, from Latin plÄnum (“level ground, a plain"), neuter substantive from plÄnus (“level, even, flat").
From Wiktionary