n. pl. plaice or plaic·es 1. A large edible marine flatfish (Pleuronectes platessa) of European coastal waters. 2. Any of various other flatfishes, such as Hippoglossoides platessoides of northern Atlantic coastal waters. [Middle English, from Old French plais, from Vulgar Latin *platīx, alteration of Late Latin platessa, probably ultimately from Greek platus, broad; see plat- in the Appendix of Indo-European roots.] |
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