plat
UK[plæt]US[plæt]
n
A small plot of ground.
n
A map or chart.
v
To plait or braid.
Etymology
The noun 'plat' meaning a plot of land is a Middle English variant of 'plot', itself of unknown origin, possibly from Old English. It entered the language as a term for a flat piece of ground, a plan, or a map. The verb 'plat', meaning to braid, is a 15th-century variant of 'plait', which entered Middle English from Old French 'pleit', ultimately from Latin 'plicare' meaning 'to fold'. The convergence of these distinct words into the identical spelling 'plat' is a historical accident of phonetic spelling and dialectal variation, resulting in a modern homograph with unrelated meanings tied to land measurement and textile work.
Analysis
This word is a simplex form. It is a variant spelling of 'plot' (meaning a small area of land) and a homograph of a variant spelling of 'plait' (meaning to braid). Its analysis is best handled by considering its separate etymological paths.
Examples
They built a shed on the small plat of land behind the house.
The surveyor consulted the old plat to determine the property boundaries.
She learned to plat the leather into a sturdy belt.