Plateglass

Part of speech: noun

Definitions

1. A specialized glass characterized by considerable thickness and a perfectly smooth surface, often utilized in large window panes or display units
2. A type of glass notable for its substantial thickness and flawless surface, typically employed in large window installations or display cases
3. Glass that is particularly thick and flat, designed to be used in expansive windows or showcases

Etymology: "Plate glass" is a compound of "plate" and "glass," and the history of the term lies mostly in the manufacturing process it names. The "plate" refers to the flat, rolled or cast sheet of glass made by pouring molten glass onto a table and pressing or rolling it into a slab. Earlier window glass was typically blown into cylinders or spun into discs, which produced small panes with visible distortions and curvature, so the flat cast sheet was a major advance in clarity and size. The closed form "plateglass," found as a spelling variant, follows the same pattern as many other English compounds that lose their internal space over time. Writers and manufacturers have used both the open and closed spellings interchangeably, though the two-word form remains the more common in print.

Synonyms: sheet glass, flat glass