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Origin and history of plane

plane(n.1)

"flat surface, simplest of all geometrical surfaces," c. 1600, from Latin planum "flat surface, plane, level, plain," noun use of neuter of adjective planus "flat, level, even, plain, clear," from PIE *pla-no- (source also of Lithuanian plonas "thin;" Celtic *lanon "plain;" perhaps also Greek pelanos "sacrificial cake, a mixture offered to the gods, offering (of meal, honey, and oil) poured or spread"), suffixed form of root *pele- (2) "flat; to spread."

Introduced (perhaps by influence of French plan in this sense) to differentiate the geometrical senses from plain, which in mid-16c. English also meant "geometric plane." The figurative sense, in reference to inanimate things, is attested from 1850.

also from c. 1600

plane(n.2)

1908, short for aeroplane (see airplane).

also from 1908

plane(n.3)

"tool for smoothing surfaces," mid-14c., from Old French plane, earlier plaine (14c.) and directly from Late Latin plana, back-formation from planare "make level," from Latin planus "level, flat, smooth" (from PIE root *pele- (2) "flat; to spread").

also from mid-14c.

plane(n.4)

"tree of the genus Platanus," native to Persia and the Levant, late 14c., from Old French plane, earlier plasne (14c.), from Latin platanus, from Greek platanos, earlier platanistos "plane tree," a species from Asia Minor, associated with platys "broad" (from PIE root *plat- "to spread") in reference to its leaves. Applied since 1778 in Scotland and northern England to the "sycamore" maple (mock-plane), whose leaves somewhat resemble those of the true plane tree. Compare sycamore.

also from late 14c.

plane(v.1)

"to make smooth," early 14c., originally in a figurative sense, "to gloss over, explain away;" mid-14c. as "to make smooth or even" (especially by use of a plane (n.3)), from Old French planer "to smooth, level off; wipe away, erase" (12c.) and directly from Late Latin planare "make level," from Latin planus "level, flat" (from PIE root *pele- (2) "flat; to spread"). In early use in English often plain. Related: Planed; planing.

also from early 14c.

plane(v.2)

"soar, glide on motionless wings," early 15c., planen, from Old French planer "to hover (as a bird), to lie flat," from plan (n.) "plane," or perhaps via Medieval Latin; in either case from Latin planum "flat surface" (from PIE root *pele- (2) "flat; to spread"), on notion of bird gliding with flattened wings. Of boats, etc., "to skim over the surface of water," it is attested by 1913. Related: Planed; planing.

also from early 15c.

plane(adj.)

"having the characteristics of a plane," 1560s, from French plan, from Latin planus "flat, level, even" (see plane (n.1)).

also from 1560s

Entries linking to plane

airplane(n.)

1907, air-plane, from air (n.1) + plane (n.1); though the earliest uses are British, the word predominated in American English, where it largely superseded earlier aeroplane (1873 in this sense and still common in British English). Aircraft as "airplane" also is from 1907. Lord Byron, speculating on future travel, used air-vessel (1822); and in 1865 aeromotive (based on locomotive) was used, also air-boat (1870).

sycamore(n.)

mid-14c., sicamour "the mulberry-leaved fig tree" (Ficus sycomorus), from Old French sicamor, sagremore, from Latin sycomorus, from Greek sykomoros, literally "fig-mulberry," from sykon "fig" (see fig) + moron (see mulberry). But according to many sources this is more likely a folk-etymology of Hebrew shiqmah "mulberry tree." Also in Middle English secomoure,

A Biblical word originally used for a wide-spreading shade tree with fig-like fruit common in the lowlands of Egypt, Palestine, Syria, etc., whose leaves somewhat resemble those of the mulberry. The Holy Family took refuge under a sycamore on the flight to Egypt.

The word was extended in English by 1580s to a large species of European maple (Platanus orientalis, also known as plane-tree; see plane (n.4)), earlier introduced in Britain from the continent as a shade and ornamental tree, perhaps given the name because both it and the Biblical tree were notable for shadiness.

From its dense shade, it was chosen in the sacred dramas of the middle ages to represent the sycamore (Luke xix. 4) into which Zaccheus climbed. [Century Dictionary]

It was extended again by 1814 to the North American shade tree (Platanus occidentalis, also called buttonwood), which in turn was introduced to Europe from Virginia 1637 by John Tradescant the Younger. The name is applied to still other trees in Australia.

The spelling with -a- apparently was by influence of Greek sykaminos, "black mulberry tree" (Morus nigra), also mentioned in the New Testament (Luke xvii.6), also likely a Semitic loan-word, and taken into English as sycamine. (Tyndale, 1526, followed by KJV, etc.). For clarity, some writers have used the more Hellenic sycomore in reference to the Biblical tree.