[ˈplatn], (Noun)

Definitions:
- the plate in a small letterpress printing press which presses the paper against the type

- the cylindrical roller in a typewriter against which the paper is held


Phrases:

Origin:
late Middle English (denoting a plate for the bread in the Eucharist): from French platine ‘flat piece’ from plat ‘flat’. platen dates from the late 16th century, and platen from the late 19th century