Plaque
/plæk/noun
A flat, thin piece or layer, especially a tablet, sign, or a buildup on teeth or arteries.
Did you know?Plaque comes from a Dutch word for a flat board, which passed through French before English used it for everything from memorial tablets to the sticky arterial buildup doctors warn about.
Etymological Timeline
Late Middle Dutch
Dutch
plakke
“A flat piece, patch, or small plate”
16th Century
French
plaque
“A plate, tablet, or flat piece of metal”
16th Century
English
plaque
“A flat plate or tablet, especially one used for display or inscription”
19th Century
English
plaque
“A deposit or patch, especially on teeth or on a surface”
Modern English
English
plaque
“A flat commemorative tablet or a deposit on teeth or arteries”