Definition

A flat piece of metal or wood that connects two ends of rails or beams, commonly used in railway construction.

Example

The workers installed a fishplate to secure the railway tracks together.

Conversation

I saw some interesting tools at the hardware store yesterday.

Oh really? What kind of tools did you find?

They had a really cool fishplate that I think we could use for our project.

That sounds perfect! We definitely need one to make it more stable.

Synonyms & Antonyms

Root Explanation

Fishplate → The word is formed from "fish" (from Old English *fisc*, meaning a gill-bearing aquatic creature) and "plate" (from Old French *plate*, meaning a flat dish or sheet). A fishplate refers to a flat piece used in railways to join two rails together, metaphorically linking the idea of 'fish' and 'plate' as a joining element.

Memory Tip

Think of a 'fish' as something aquatic and a 'plate' as a flat surface — together, they help you remember that a fishplate is a flat piece that joins two parts, much like how a plate can hold different items together.

Visually Confused Words