Meaning & use
printing plate
Last updated
Meaning
nouncountabletechnical
a metal or plastic sheet with a raised or treated surface used to transfer ink to paper in printing
Grammar: Countable: one printing plate, two printing plates. Often used with 'make', 'produce', or 'replace'.
Patterns
- make a printing plate
- replace a printing plate
- a printing plate for something
The technician carefully cleaned the printing plate before starting the press.
A new printing plate must be made for each color in the design.
The old printing plates were stored in a dusty cabinet.
Word forms
| plural | printing plates |
|---|
Common combinations
- make a printing plate
- It takes skill to make a printing plate that produces sharp images.
- replace a printing plate
- When the image wears out, you must replace the printing plate.
- metal printing plate
- Most modern presses use a metal printing plate.
- printing plate for a newspaper
- The printing plate for a newspaper is usually made of aluminum.
Synonyms and how they differ
- plate
- Short form used when the context is clear; 'printing plate' is more specific.
- stereotype
- An old-fashioned term for a printing plate; now mostly used in historical contexts.
Word family
- print verb
- To produce text or images on paper using ink.
- printing press noun
- The machine that uses printing plates to print.
Commonly confused: printing plate or print plate?
printing plate vs print plate
Not a standard term; 'printing plate' is the correct phrase.
Practice
The image on the ___ was too faint, so the printer had to make a new one.
Choose one answer.
'Printing plate' is the standard compound noun for the sheet used in printing. 'Print plate' is not used, and the other options are not standard terms.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “printing plate”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.