Places

Part of speech: noun

Pronunciation: /ˈpleɪsɪz/

Definitions

1. Certain locations or spots ; particular positions within an order or lineup ; standings achieved in contests or races
2. Distinct sites or points in a physical or conceptual space ; designated places within a series or group ; hierarchical results obtained in competitive events
3. Specified geographic or spatial areas ; assigned spots or ranks in a structured order ; positions earned by participants based on performance in competitions

Etymology: The plural "places" is simply the plural of "place," so the story is really the story of "place," which is one of English's more tangled words. Its ancestor was Latin "platea," meaning a wide street or open square, borrowed from Greek "plateia," short for "plateia hodos," literally "broad way." Greek "platys," meaning broad or flat, sits behind it, which is also the source of the names Plato and "plate." English received the word twice over. Old English already had "plæce," meaning an open space or street, and Old French supplied "place" with the same Latin root, and in Middle English the two merged into one word. The merger is why "place" today can mean both a physical spot and a position in an order or series, as in taking first place. Old English's own words "stow" and "stede" were largely pushed aside by it.

Synonyms: locations, sites, areas

Antonyms: nonplaces