What does plateaux mean?
Plateaux is the plural form of plateau and most often refers to several elevated areas of land that are broad and comparatively level. In figurative use, it denotes multiple periods during which growth, prices, performance, or some other quantity remains stable rather than rising or falling. The same spelling can also be the third-person singular present of the verb plateau, as in “The curve plateaus after the initial surge.” Because it combines a geographical term with a metaphor for development, plateaux is useful when discussing both landscapes and stages in which change has halted. Its pronunciation takes the plural ending /z/, and both plateaux and plateaus are accepted plural spellings in modern English. In formal writing, singular plateau remains more conventional when only one flat-topped landform or one stable phase is meant, while plateaux clearly signals multiple instances. The word comes through French and ultimately Latin, reflecting its basic sense of something broad, flat, or level.
The plural form of plateau, referring either to multiple elevated, relatively level landforms or to multiple periods of stability in a changing process.
"The survey mapped several isolated plateaux separated by steep river valleys."
Both plateaux and plateaus are accepted plural spellings, though plateaux is the traditional form.
The third-person singular present of plateau, meaning to reach a stable level and stop rising or falling.
"The curve plateaus after the initial surge."
This form is less common than the noun and is usually used when describing a graph, trend, or process.
The standard plural of plateau is plateaux; plateaus is also an accepted modern spelling.
"The expedition crossed several high plateaux before reaching the border."
In geology, a plateau is a tableland; in business, it is where the climb goes flat.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Where does plateaux come from?
English borrowed French plateau in the 19th century for a flat or level surface. The French word derives from plat, meaning “flat,” from Latin platus, meaning “broad” or “flat”; related forms such as plate, plat, and platitude continue the same etymological tradition. The figurative sense of a period of stability developed by analogy with a surface that remains level rather than rising or falling.
Related word forms
How plateaux is actually used
The plural form is standard in both British and American English, although plateaus is also accepted. Figurative uses are especially common in business, economics, and discussions of development. In the verb form, the final -s is pronounced /z/.
Easily confused with plateaux
Both are accepted plural spellings of plateau; plateaux is the traditional form, while plateaus is also common in modern usage.