plain

plain · adjective, adverb¹

1. Latin · derived fromplānus“flat, even, level, plain”
2. Old French · derived fromplain
3. Middle French · derived fromplain
4. Anglo-Norman · derived frompleyn
5. Middle English · inherited frompleyn
6. English todayplain

From Middle English pleyn, borrowed from Anglo-Norman pleyn, playn, Middle French plain, plein, and Old French plain, from Latin plānus (“flat, even, level, plain”). Doublet of llano, piano, plane, and plan.

plain · noun, verb²

1. Latin · derived fromplānum“level ground, a plain”
2. Old French · derived fromplain
3. English todayplain

From Old French plain, from Latin plānum (“level ground, a plain”), neuter substantive from plānus (“level, even, flat”). Doublet of llano, piano, and plane.

plain · noun, verb³

1. Latin · derived fromplangere
2. Old French · derived frompleindre
3. Anglo-Norman · derived fromplainer
4. English todayplain

From Anglo-Norman plainer, pleiner, variant of Anglo-Norman and Old French pleindre, plaindre, from Latin plangere.

plain · adjective⁴

1. Proto-Indo-European · derived from*pl̥h₁nós“full”
2. Proto-Italic · derived from*plēnos
3. Latin · derived fromplēnus“full, filled, complete”
4. Old French · derived fromplein
5. Middle English · inherited frompleyn
6. English todayplain

From Middle English pleyn, borrowed from Old French plein, from Latin plēnus (“full, filled, complete”). Ultimately from Proto-Italic *plēnos, from Proto-Indo-European *pl̥h₁nós (“full”). Doublet of plene, plenary, and full.

Words from the same roots

First known use, by meaning

• from 14th c. Flat, level.
• from 14th c. Ordinary; lacking adornment or ornamentation; unembellished.
• from 16th c. Simple in habits or qualities; unsophisticated, not exceptional, ordinary.
• from 17th c. Having only few ingredients, or no additional ingredients or seasonings; not elaborate, without toppings or extras.
• from 20th c. Containing no extended or nonprinting characters (especially in plain text).
• from 14th c. Evident to one's senses or reason; manifest, clear, unmistakable.
• from 14th c. Downright; total, unmistakable (as intensifier).
• from 14th c. Honest and without deception; candid, open; blunt.