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1. Dictionary

   plain

   /plān/

   adjective

   • 1. not decorated or elaborate; simple or ordinary in character: "good plain food" Similar simpleordinaryunadornedundecoratedunembellishedunornamentedunpretentiousunostentatiousunfussyhomelyhomespunbasicmodestunsophisticatedpenny plainwithout frillsstarkseverespartanausterechastebareunclutteredrestrainedmutedunpatternedpatternlesseverydayworkadayOpposite fancyelaborate
   • ▪ without a pattern; in only one color: "a plain fabric"
   • ▪ bearing no indication as to source, contents, or affiliation: "donations can be put in a plain envelope"
   • 2. (of a person) having no pretensions; not remarkable or special: "a plain, honest man with no nonsense about him" Similar straightforwardunpretentioussimpleordinaryaverageunassumingunaffectedhonest-to-goodnessingenuousartlessguilelesssincerecracker-barrelOpposite pretentiousaffected
   • ▪ (of a person) without a special title or status: "for years he was just plain Bill"
   • 3. easy to perceive or understand; clear: "the advantages were plain to see" Similar obviousclearcrystal clearas clear as crystalevidentapparentmanifestpatentvisiblediscernibleperceptibleperceivablenoticeabledetectablerecognizableobservableunmistakabletransparentpalpabledistinctpronouncedmarkedstrikingconspicuousovertself-evidentindisputableas plain as a pikestaffstaring someone in the facewrit largewritten all over someoneas plain as dayplain to seebeyond (a) doubtbeyond questioninformal:as plain as the nose on one's facestanding/sticking out like a sore thumbstanding/sticking out a mile
   • ▪ (of written or spoken usage) clearly expressed, without the use of technical or abstruse terms: "written in plain English" Similar intelligiblecomprehensibleunderstandablecoherentaccessibleuncomplicatedlucidperspicuousunambiguousclearsimplestraightforwardclearly expressedclear-cutdirectdigestibleuser-friendlyOpposite unclearobscure
   • ▪ not using concealment or deception; frank: "he recalled her plain speaking" Similar candidfrankoutspokenforthrightplain-spokendirecthonesttruthfulbluntdownrightunvarnishedbaldstraight from the shoulderexplicitunequivocalinformal:upfrontarchaic:roundfree-spoken
   • 4. (of a person) not beautiful or attractive: "the dark-haired, rather plain woman" Similar unattractiveunprepossessingas plain as a pikestaffuglyill-favoredunlovelyordinary-lookinghomelyinformal:not much to look atfuglyno oil paintinghuckeryOpposite attractivebeautifulgood-looking
   • 5. sheer; simple (used for emphasis): "the main problem is just plain exhaustion" Similar sheerpuredownrightout-and-outunmitigatedranknothing other than
   • 6. denoting or relating to a type of knitting stitch produced by putting the needle through the front of each stitch from left to right.

   adverb

   • 1. clearly; unequivocally (used for emphasis): informal "perhaps the youth was just plain stupid"

   noun

   • 1. a large area of flat land with few trees: "the coastal plain"
   • ▪ another term for Great Plains

   Word Origin Middle English: from Old French plain, from Latin planus, from a base meaning ‘flat’.

   Derivatives

   • 1. plainness noun

   Scrabble Points: 7

   • P

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   • L

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   • A

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   • I

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   • N

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   More definitions, origin and scrabble points

2. www.merriam-webster.com › dictionary › plainPlain Definition & Meaning - Merriam-Webster

   www.merriam-webster.com › dictionary › plain

   • Cached

   plain: [noun] an extensive area of level or rolling treeless country. a broad unbroken expanse.

3. dictionary.cambridge.org › dictionary › englishPLAIN | English meaning - Cambridge Dictionary

   dictionary.cambridge.org › dictionary › english

   • Cached

   PLAIN definition: 1. not decorated in any way; with nothing added: 2. paper that has no lines on it: 3. obvious and…. Learn more.

4. www.vocabulary.com › dictionary › plainPlain - Definition, Meaning & Synonyms | Vocabulary.com

   www.vocabulary.com › dictionary › plain

   Plain things are simple, unadorned, and even a little boring. Being a plain talker means you don't use pretentious, fancy words. But having a plain face means you're not much to look at.

5. www.dictionary.com › browse › plainPLAIN Definition & Meaning | Dictionary.com

   www.dictionary.com › browse › plain

   • Cached

   Plain definition: clear or distinct to the eye or ear. See examples of PLAIN used in a sentence.

6. www.collinsdictionary.com › dictionary › englishPLAIN definition and meaning | Collins English Dictionary

   www.collinsdictionary.com › dictionary › english

   • Cached

   17 meanings: 1. flat or smooth; level 2. not complicated; clear 3. not difficult; simple or easy 4. honest or straightforward.... Click for more definitions.

7. www.thefreedictionary.com › plainPlain - definition of plain by The Free Dictionary

   www.thefreedictionary.com › plain

   • Cached

   Define plain. plain synonyms, plain pronunciation, plain translation, English dictionary definition of plain. simple; clearly evident; unpretentious; unadorned: plain truth Not to be confused with: plane – a carpenter’s tool; to smooth: ...

8. www.oxfordlearnersdictionaries.com › us › definitionplain adjective - Definition, pictures, pronunciation and usage...

   www.oxfordlearnersdictionaries.com › us › definition

   • Cached

   Synonyms plain plain simple stark bare unequivocal These words all describe statements, often about something unpleasant, that are very clear, not trying to hide anything, and not using more words than necessary. plain used for talking about a fact that other people may not like to hear; honest and direct in a way that other people may not like:

9. www.oxfordlearnersdictionaries.com › definition › american_englishplain adjective - Definition, pictures, pronunciation and usage...

   www.oxfordlearnersdictionaries.com › definition › american_english

   • Cached

   3 not decorated or complicated; simple a plain but elegant dress plain vanilla The interior of the church was plain and simple. plain yogurt (= without sugar or fruit) compare fancy; 4 without marks or a pattern on it curtains in plain or printed cotton Write on plain paper (= without lines).; 5 [only before noun] used to emphasize that something is very ordinary, not special in any way ...

10. www.ldoceonline.com › dictionary › plainplain | meaning of plain in Longman Dictionary of Contemporary...

    www.ldoceonline.com › dictionary › plain

    • Cached

    plain meaning, definition, what is plain: very clear, and easy to understand or re...: Learn more.

11. dictionary.cambridge.org › us › dictionaryPLAIN | definition in the Cambridge Learner’s Dictionary

    dictionary.cambridge.org › us › dictionary

    • Cached

    PLAIN meaning: 1. simple and not complicated: 2. not mixed with other colours, substances, etc: 3. A plain…. Learn more.