table mat

1.1

A small flat pad that goes under plates to protect the table from heat and scratches

noun
/ˈteɪbəl mæt/

: mantelito

Every meal feels special when we use this handmade table mat that adds a personal touch.

Examples

Wim sends me something every year at Christmastime, a shawl, a table mat, a rough afghan once.

Fiction book (1999)
We set a beautiful table mat under the vase to protect the wood from scratches.
She decided to use a colorful table mat to brighten up the dining table for dinner.

Synonyms

mat

vstable mat

136 1.0

A flat piece of material placed on the floor, like a doormat or gym mat

is specific to small dining surface protection during meals rather than general use

placemat

vstable mat

12 1.6

A small mat you put under a plate to protect the table and make it look nicer

is the same in meaning but usually written as one word

place mat

vstable mat

1 1.2

A small mat under a person's plate that protects the table and decorates it

is the same in meaning but written as two words

hot pad

vstable mat

1.5

A small pad you put under a hot dish to protect a table or countertop

protects from heat only and not mainly for decoration or plates

How Protective

tablecloth

47 1.0

table mat

1.1

coaster

84 1.0

Surface Forms

table mat singular

table mats plural

Morphology

table + mat

The meaning 'a small flat pad placed under dishes to protect a table' is directly derivable from combining 'table' (the furniture) with 'mat' (a flat protective piece). This regular noun–noun composition follows common cross-linguistic patterns (e.g. placemat) and would be immediately comprehensible to a B1 learner who knows both constituents.

Etymology

Table mat comes from the simple image of a small mat placed on a table under plates to stop heat, water, or scratches. So the name means a pad put 'under' dishes to 'protect' the table.