Definition

A standard piece of text that can be reused in different documents, often used in legal or formal writing.

Example

The contract included a lot of boilerplate that was the same as previous agreements.

Conversation

Have you seen the new contract template?

Yeah, it looks pretty standard, like a lot of the boilerplate text we usually get.

Exactly! I wish they’d customize it a bit more for our needs.

I agree, it would be nice to have less of that generic boilerplate language.

Synonyms & Antonyms

Root Explanation

Boilerplate → The term originates from the printing industry, where 'boilerplate' referred to the steel plates used to print standardized text. The word 'boiler' comes from the Old French 'boile' (meaning a vessel for boiling), and 'plate' comes from the Latin 'plata' (meaning flat or broad). Together, it describes a flat plate used for printing, which became synonymous with standardized text.

Memory Tip

Think of a 'boiler' as a vessel that holds something and a 'plate' as a flat surface — together, they remind you that 'boilerplate' refers to standardized text printed on flat plates.

Visually Confused Words