plain

Use plain in a sentence

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.

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"plain." YourDictionary, n.d. Web. 10 December 2018. <https://www.yourdictionary.com/PLAIN>.

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plain. (n.d.). Retrieved December 10th, 2018, from https://www.yourdictionary.com/PLAIN

plain

Obs. flat; level; plane
free from obstructions; open; clear: in plain view
clearly understood; evident; obvious: to make one's meaning plain
1. outspoken; frank; straightforward: plain talk
2. downright; thoroughgoing: plain nonsense
not luxurious or ornate; unembellished: a plain coat
not complicated; simple: plain sewing
neither good-looking nor ugly: a well-dressed woman with a rather plain face
not figured, dyed, or twilled: plain cloth
pure; unmixed: plain soda
not of high rank or position; such as characterizes the common people; ordinary: a plain man

Origin of plain

Old French from Classical Latin planus, flat, level from Indo-European base an unverified form pl?-, broad, flat from source floor, field

[often pl.] an extent of relatively level country with few trees; prairie, steppe, etc.

clearly or simply: just plain tired

Now Chiefly Dial. to complain

Origin of plain

Middle English pleynen from Old French plaindre from Classical Latin plangere: see plaint

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plain. (n.d.). Retrieved December 10th, 2018, from https://www.yourdictionary.com/PLAIN

plain

adjective

plain·er, plain·est

Free from obstructions; open; clear: in plain view.
Obvious to the perception or mind; evident: make one's intention plain. See Synonyms at apparent.
a. Not elaborate or complicated; simple: plain food.
b. Marked by little or no ornamentation or decoration: plain garb.
c. Straightforward; frank or candid: plain talk.
d. Not pretentious; unaffected.
e. Lacking beauty or distinction: a plain face.
Not mixed with other substances; pure: plain water.
Common in rank or station; average; ordinary: a plain man.
Not dyed, twilled, or patterned: a plain fabric.
Sheer; utter; unqualified: plain stupidity.
Archaic Having no visible elevation or depression; flat; level.

noun

a. often plains An extensive, level, usually treeless area of land.
b. A broad level expanse, as a part of the sea floor or a lunar mare.
Something free of ornamentation or extraneous matter.

adverb

Informal

Clearly; simply: plain stubborn.

Origin of plain

Middle English from Old French from Latin plānus ; see pelə-² in Indo-European roots.

Related Forms:

plain′ly
adverb

plain′ness
noun

THE AMERICAN HERITAGE® DICTIONARY OF THE ENGLISH LANGUAGE, FIFTH EDITION by the Editors of the American Heritage Dictionaries. Copyright © 2016, 2011 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.

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"plain." YourDictionary, n.d. Web. 10 December 2018. <https://www.yourdictionary.com/PLAIN>.

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plain. (n.d.). Retrieved December 10th, 2018, from https://www.yourdictionary.com/PLAIN

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.
A broad, level expanse, such as an area of the sea floor or a lunar mare.

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plain. (n.d.). Retrieved December 10th, 2018, from https://www.yourdictionary.com/PLAIN

plain

plain modest simple unostentatious unpretentious

These adjectives mean not ornate, ostentatious, or showy: a plain hairstyle; a modest cottage; a simple dark suit; an unostentatious office; an unpretentious country church.

Antonym: ornate

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plain. (n.d.). Retrieved December 10th, 2018, from https://www.yourdictionary.com/PLAIN

Adjective

(comparative plainer, superlative plainest)

(now rare, regional) Flat, level. [from 14th c.]
Simple.
1. Ordinary; lacking adornment or ornamentation; unembellished. [from 14th c.]
  He was dressed simply in plain black clothes.
  a plain tune
2. Of just one colour; lacking a pattern.
  a plain pink polycotton skirt
3. Simple in habits or qualities; unsophisticated, not exceptional, ordinary. [from 16th c.]
  They're just plain people like you or me.
4. (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?
5. (computing) Containing no extended or nonprinting characters (especially in plain text). [from 20th c.]
Obvious.
1. Evident to one's senses or reason; manifest, clear, unmistakable. [from 14th c.]
2. Downright; total, unmistakable (as intensifier). [from 14th c.]
  His answer was just plain nonsense.
Open.
1. Honest and without deception; candid, open; blunt. [from 14th c.]
  Let me be plain with you: I don't like her.
2. Clear; unencumbered; equal; fair.
Not unusually beautiful; unattractive. [from 17th c.]
Throughout high school she worried that she had a rather plain face.

Related terms

Adverb

(not comparable)

(colloquial) Simply
It was just plain stupid.
I plain forgot.

Origin

From Anglo-Norman pleyn, playn, Middle French plain, plein, from Latin plÄnus (“flat, even, level, plain").

Noun

(plural plains)

(rare, poetic) A lamentation.

Verb

(third-person singular simple present plains, present participle plaining, simple past and past participle plained)

(intransitive, now rare, poetic) To lament, bewail.
to plain a loss

Related terms

Origin

From Anglo-Norman plainer, pleiner, variant of Anglo-Norman and Old French pleindre, plaindre, from Latin plangere, present active infinitive of plangÅ.

Noun

(plural plains)

An expanse of land with relatively low relief.
A battlefield.

Antonyms

Verb

(third-person singular simple present plains, present participle plaining, simple past and past participle plained)

(obsolete) To plane or level; to make plain or even on the surface.
(obsolete) To make plain or manifest; to explain.

Anagrams

lapin, Lipan

Origin

From Old French plain, from Latin plÄnum (“level ground, a plain"), neuter substantive from plÄnus (“level, even, flat").

English Wiktionary. Available under CC-BY-SA license.

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MLA Style

"plain." YourDictionary, n.d. Web. 10 December 2018. <https://www.yourdictionary.com/PLAIN>.

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plain. (n.d.). Retrieved December 10th, 2018, from https://www.yourdictionary.com/PLAIN

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