place mat
1
1.2
- noun
- /ˈpleɪs mæt/
:
mantelito
- There's a kind of first bundle box, what with AT shirt, a mug, oh, and a place mat which I cut on my own laser cutter.
- paper place mats
Examples
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They had table runners and so many different decorations, but I actually got these little heart-shaped place mats and coasters as well.
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The only thing under my nose is this place mat with the presidents up to Carter.
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Mac, this is a place mat from some lobster house.
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The have puzzles on the place mats.
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The waitress set out scalloped paper place mats for the supper crowd.
Fiction book (1995) -
For dinner, she carefully arranged colorful place mats on the table to add a festive touch.
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The restaurant used simple white place mats to protect the wooden surfaces from heat and spills.
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He decided to buy new place mats that matched the decor of his dining room.
Synonyms
136
1.0
A flat piece of material placed on the floor, like a doormat or gym mat
12
1.6
A small mat you put under a plate to protect the table and make it look nicer
A small flat pad that goes under plates to protect the table from heat and scratches
How Big
Surface Forms
Morphology
The meaning 'a small mat at an individual table setting' is directly and compositionally derived from 'place' (a location or seat) + 'mat' (a flat protective piece). This simple noun+noun composition is common cross-linguistically and follows regular English compounding patterns, so a B1 learner who knows both constituents will readily infer the meaning.
Etymology
The compound noun place mat is literally a small mat put at someone's place at the table to catch spills and protect the table. So, it means 'a mat at each person's place' used to protect and decorate the table.