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ter·re·plein

(tĕrə-plān′)

A platform or level ground surface on which heavy guns are mounted.

[French terreplein, from Italian terrapieno, from terrapienare, to fill with earth : terra, earth (from Latin; see ters- in the Appendix of Indo-European roots) + pieno, full (from Latin plēnus; see pelə-¹ in the Appendix of Indo-European roots).]

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terreplein

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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