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pat·en also pat·in

(pătn)

1. A plate, usually of gold or silver, that is used to hold the host during the celebration of the Eucharist. Also called patina¹.

2. A plate or shallow dish, especially an artifact from an ancient civilization.

3. A thin disk of or resembling metal.

[Middle English, from Old French patene, from Medieval Latin patina, from Latin, pan, from Greek patanē, platter; see petə- in the Appendix of Indo-European roots.]

Indo-European & Semitic Roots Appendices

Thousands of entries in the dictionary include etymologies that trace their origins back to reconstructed proto-languages. You can obtain more information about these forms in our online appendices:

Indo-European Roots

Semitic Roots

The Indo-European appendix covers nearly half of the Indo-European roots that have left their mark on English words. A more complete treatment of Indo-European roots and the English words derived from them is available in our Dictionary of Indo-European Roots.

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