What does plaque mean?
A plaque is a flat plate carrying an inscription, emblem, or design. It may identify a person, mark the location of an important event, or commemorate an achievement, service, or contribution. Plaques are commonly mounted on walls, buildings, monuments, gates, and other prominent surfaces; their material may range from stone, wood, and metal to acrylic or ceramic. The word can also be used as a verb, chiefly in North American English, meaning to honour or commemorate someone by presenting or displaying a plaque. This use often appears in reporting about awards, institutional honours, and public memorials. Although a plaque can resemble a sign or marker, it usually has a more formal and commemorative purpose, preserving recognition in a permanent or official form.
A flat decorative or commemorative plate bearing an inscription, name, emblem, or design, especially when fixed to a wall, building, monument, or similar surface.
"A brass plaque lists the names of the donors who funded the library."
The word commonly denotes a relatively permanent and formal object. It is broader than a sign but more specific than a monument.
To commemorate or honour someone or something by displaying, attaching, or presenting a plaque.
"The city plaqued the community centre to mark its fiftieth anniversary."
This use is chiefly North American. In British English, the verb is less common, with formal alternatives often preferred.
The standard plural adds -s. A plural noun may refer to a collection of commemorative or identifying plates.
"Plaques commemorating famous residents are displayed throughout the town hall."
A plaque turns an ordinary wall into a permanent witness: its lettering preserves a name, achievement, or moment for later generations.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Where does plaque come from?
The word entered English from French in the 16th century. French plaque comes from Middle Dutch plaatse, meaning “plate,” a development associated with a wider Germanic word for a flat or broad surface. The English verb was established later. Placket, plaquette, and placard belong to a related French vocabulary based on the same root, though they developed distinct meanings.
Related word forms
How plaque is actually used
The noun is used in both British and American English. The verb is most common in North American English and typically takes a person, organization, achievement, or place as its object.