plaque

Meanings

1. 1nouncountable

   A flat piece of metal, stone, or ceramic with words on it, fixed to a wall or object to honor a person or event.

   Grammar: Countable: you can say a plaque, two plaques.

   Patterns

   • a plaque on something
   • a plaque to someone
   • unveil a plaque

   A bronze plaque on the wall lists the names of the soldiers who died.

   They put a small plaque on the bench in memory of their grandfather.

   The mayor unveiled a plaque to mark the building's centenary.

2. 2noununcountablemedical

   A soft, sticky layer of bacteria that forms on teeth and can cause decay.

   Grammar: Uncountable: you say some plaque, not a plaque, in this sense.

   Patterns

   • remove plaque
   • plaque builds up
   • plaque on your teeth

   Brushing twice a day helps remove plaque from your teeth.

   If plaque is not cleaned away, it can lead to gum disease.

   The dentist scraped off the plaque that had built up along her gum line.

Word forms

Common combinations

commemorative plaque

A commemorative plaque was placed at the site of the old theater.

bronze plaque

The bronze plaque had turned green with age.

unveil a plaque

The queen unveiled a plaque at the new hospital.

dental plaque

Dental plaque is the main cause of tooth decay.

plaque buildup

Regular flossing prevents plaque buildup between the teeth.

Synonyms and how they differ

tablet

A tablet is a flat piece of stone or metal with writing, often fixed to a wall; it is more formal and usually larger than a plaque.

sign

A sign gives information or directions; a plaque is usually for honor or memory, not for practical information.

Commonly confused: plaque or plague?

Practice

Make it your own

Write a sentence using “plaque”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.

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