Words / B1

PLAYSM-at/ˈpleɪs mæt/

A place mat (id: place-mat) is a mat on a table under a person’s plate and cutlery. A tablecloth covers the whole table; a coaster is for a cup. Food tech: put the place mat down; a textbook is not a heatproof mat.

Meaning

A mat on a table under a person’s plate and cutlery.

Examples

• “Put the place mat down in food tech; a textbook is not a heatproof mat.”
• “Place mats in the dining hall are washed with the crockery; a PE bib is not a cover.”

Good to know

a place mat. Contrast: a tablecloth / a coaster. Food tech / dining hall. Countable mats. Mix-up: a place can mean a seat or a town; a place mat marks one setting.

New