plate-glass

A shopkeeper cleans the large plate-glass window of her store.

Definition

Noun (mass noun): - Thick, clear glass: "plate-glass" refers to a high-quality, thick, flat glass that is polished on both sides to be perfectly smooth and transparent. It is commonly used for large windows, shop fronts, mirrors, and display cases.

Usage Examples

• (Thick, clear glass used for shop windows.)
• (A mirror made from polished, thick glass.)

Advanced Usage

• "plate-glass university": A term used in the United Kingdom to refer to a group of universities founded in the 1960s, named for their modern, glass-and-steel architecture.
  • The University of Sussex is one of the plate-glass universities built during that era. (A modern university with extensive use of glass in its design.)

Variants and Related Words

• Plate-glass window (n): a window made of plate glass.
  • The plate-glass window shattered when a ball hit it. (A large, thick window pane.)

Synonyms

• Sheet glass: thin, flat glass used in windows (though often less thick than plate-glass).
• Float glass: modern glass made by floating molten glass on a bed of molten metal, producing a similar smooth finish.

Related Idioms