What does plateman mean?
A plateman is a man employed to carry, serve, or help with plates, especially in a large private household or at a formal banquet. The expression belongs chiefly to older descriptions of domestic and ceremonial service, when meals might be served by several attendants and diners were seated according to rank. In such settings, the plateman could handle valuable tableware and assist with the presentation or serving of food. The word is now rare in ordinary contemporary English and may suggest either an occupational title from the past or a historical setting. Although it plainly resembles the modern military word platoon, it has no direct connection with it. The term is best understood in historical or period contexts rather than as the usual modern term for a person who waits at a table.
nounA man or boy employed to carry, serve, or assist with plates, especially at a banquet or in a large household.
- A servant or worker whose duty is to carry or assist with plates, particularly in a formal banquet or large household.
"The plateman announced dinner as the guests entered the hall."
"The plateman carefully replaced the covers before the meal began."
"In the period drama, a plateman waits beside the dining table."
The regular plural changes the internal -e- to -e- and adds -n: platemen.
"Two platemen carried the silver dishes into the dining room."
Long before restaurants became common, a plateman helped ensure that noble diners received their food on gleaming silver.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Where does plateman come from?
The word is an English compound of plate and man. Here plate means a shallow dish or piece of tableware, especially one made of metal, and the compound identifies a man associated with handling or serving such objects. Its use is associated with the older household system in which servants had assigned duties during formal meals.
How plateman is actually used
The word is uncommon and sounds old-fashioned; it is chiefly associated with formal household or banquet service.
Easily confused with plateman
A plateman serves or handles plates, whereas a platoon is a military unit or a small group of people.