platen
/ˈplætən/ noun
Forms platens
- noun (printing) The part of a printing press which presses the paper against the type and by which the impression is made.
- noun The part of a typewriter or printer on which the paper rests to receive an impression.
- noun The movable table of a planer or other machine tool, on which the work is fastened, and presented to the action of the tool.
- noun The flat glass surface of a scanner or photocopier on which operators place items to be scanned.
Etymology
From French platine, from plat (“flat”). See plate, and compare platin.
Webster’s 1913
Etymology [F. platine, fr. plat flat. See Plate, and cf. Platin.]
Sources: Wiktionary · Webster’s 1913 — from the Wiktionary entry “platen”, CC BY-SA 4.0. Details