center plate

noun

, Railroads.

1. one of a pair of plates that fit together and support the body of a car on a truck, while allowing the truck to rotate with respect to the body. One plate body center plate is attached to the underside of the car body and the other truck center plate is part of the car truck.

Word History and Origins

Origin of center plate¹

First recorded in 1880–85

Example Sentences

But when letting the fruits of our garden take center stage — or center plate — I like to keep it light.

From Washington Post

The center plate of the actual belt was silver and red, and the small plates on the straps, with the TV logos, were silver, red and blue.

From New York Times

As the center plate grew, ice at the edge got too thick, forcing the material to move inward, lose its 60-degree angles and form the near-perfect circle in the middle.

From Scientific American

The aerodynamic profile deflects headwinds and provides easier control downwind, and a center plate helps Bertish remain on course.

From New York Times

That’s not the case in many other countries, where leftover dinner and savory vegetables often take center plate in the morning, Rumsey’s found during her travels.

From US News