plate-bearing
|plate-bear-ing|
🇺🇸
/ˈpleɪtˌbɛrɪŋ/
🇬🇧
/ˈpleɪtˌbeərɪŋ/
having plates
Etymology
'plate-bearing' originates from Modern English, specifically the compound of 'plate' and the present-participle form of 'bear', where 'plate' meant 'a flat piece or metal/wooden sheet' and 'bear' meant 'to carry or carry on the body'.
'plate' comes from Old French 'plate' (from Medieval Latin 'plata' and ultimately Greek 'platys' meaning 'broad, flat'), while 'bear' comes from Old English 'beran' meaning 'to carry'; the compound 'plate-bearing' is formed in Modern English by joining the noun and a participial modifier.
Initially the components referred literally to a 'flat piece' and 'to carry'; the compound has come to be used as a descriptive adjective meaning 'having plates' (especially in technical, biological, or engineering contexts).
Meanings by Part of Speech
Adjective 1
having or bearing plates (flat or protective structures); equipped with plates — often used in biological or mechanical descriptions (e.g., animals with bony plates along their bodies, or objects with plate-like components).
A plate-bearing stegosaur displayed rows of bony plates along its back.
Synonyms
Antonyms
Last updated: 2025/12/08 06:16