plate glass: meaning, definition, pronunciation and examples

Historically, plate glass was made by grinding and polishing. Modern 'float glass' (invented in the 1950s) is the primary method for making high-quality flat glass today and has largely replaced traditional plate glass. However, the term 'plate glass' is still commonly used to describe the product.

It comes from the old manufacturing process where glass was cast into large, flat plates or slabs before being ground and polished.

Yes, often in a hyphenated form (e.g., plate-glass window, plate-glass façade). It can also be used attributively without a hyphen in some contexts.

A British term from the 1960s for new universities (like Sussex, York, Essex) that were built with modern, often glass-heavy architecture, contrasting with the older 'red brick' and ancient universities.

A high-quality, clear, flat glass produced by rolling molten glass into plates and then grinding and polishing both surfaces to create a smooth, parallel finish. It is typically thick and used for large windows and doors.

Plate glass is usually neutral to formal in register.

Plate glass: in British English it is pronounced /ˌpleɪt ˈɡlɑːs/, and in American English it is pronounced /ˌpleɪt ˈɡlæs/. Tap the audio buttons above to hear it.