place

Meanings

1. 1
   noun

   an abstract mental location

   I have a special place in my thoughts for you.

2. 2
   noun

   the passage that is being read

   The minister lost their place on the page while delivering the sermon.

3. 3
   noun

   an item on a list or in a sequence

   in the second place

4. 4
   noun

   any area set aside for a particular purpose

   who owns this place?

5. 5
   noun

   the particular portion of space occupied by something

   I put the lamp back in its place.

6. 6
   noun

   a general vicinity

   They come from a place near Chicago.

7. 7
   noun

   a point located with respect to surface features of some region

   this is a nice place for a picnic

8. 8
   noun

   a particular situation

   If you were in my place what would you do?

Etymology

From Middle English place, conflation of Old English plæċe (“place, an open space, street”) and Old French place (“place, an open space”), both from Latin platēa (“plaza, wide street”), from Ancient Greek πλατεῖα (plateîa), shortening of πλατεῖα ὁδός (plateîa hodós, “broad way”), from Proto-Indo-European *pleth₂- (“to spread”), extended form of *pleh₂- (“flat”). Displaced native Old English stōw, stede (partially), and -ern. Compare also English pleck (“plot of ground”), West Frisian plak (“place, spot, location”), Dutch plek (“place, spot, patch”). Doublet of piatza, piazza, and plaza. In the…