French word

assiette

Pronunciation

IPA/asjɛt/

Meaning

  • feminine nounplate

Example

Passe-moi l'assiette, s'il te plaît.

Pass me the plate, please.

Illustration for assiette (plate)

More examples

Elle a mis une assiette creuse sur la table.

She put a deep plate on the table.

Core concept

A meal rests on a shallow plate, with the plate also naming the portion resting on it.

Common phrases

  • une assiette creuse

    deep plate

  • une assiette plate

    flat plate

  • une assiette de riz

    plate of rice

Similar words

plat: One portion of prepared food or a main dish served at home or in a restaurant.
bol: A rounded, deep container designed for soup or cereal.
vaisselle: The collection of plates, cups, and similar vessels used at meals.
saladier: A roomy bowl used to serve salad or contain a large amount of food.

Definition in French

Objet plat utilisé pour servir et manger les aliments; par extension, la quantité servie en une fois (une assiette de ...).

Word origin

Assiette developed from Old French assiete, related to asseoir and the idea of something set in place, before naming both the supporting dish and the food served on it.

Usage tips

  • For a prepared dish or course, plat is often more natural than assiette, while une assiette de charcuterie commonly means a serving or assortment.

Other meanings

  • servingnoun

Word lists with this word