plage

American  

[plahzh] / plɑʒ /

noun

1. a sandy bathing beach at a seashore resort.

2. Astronomy. a luminous area in the sun's chromosphere that appears in the vicinity of a sunspot.

---

plage British  

/ plɑːʒ /

noun

1. astronomy a bright patch in the sun's chromosphere

---

plage Scientific  

/ pläzh /

1. A bright and intensely hot area in the Sun's chromosphere, usually associated with a sunspot. It is typically brighter than its surroundings but may be indistinguishable due to lack of contrast. Plages are sources of strong ultraviolet radiation.

---

Etymology

Origin of plage

First recorded in 1885–90; from French, from Italian piaggia, from Late Latin plagia “shore,” noun use of feminine of plagius “horizontal,” from Greek plágia (neuter plural) “sides (of a mountain), flanks (of an army),” noun use of plágios “oblique, slanting, sideways”; see plagio-

Example Sentences

He believes the artist is referencing the student uprising in Paris in 1968, which had the slogan "sous les pavés, la plage!"

From BBC • Aug. 9, 2021

So when we approached a large sign that said “Cimetiere colonial de la plage des raisins clairs,” that’s what we assumed it was referring to.

From Washington Post • Mar. 8, 2018

Elle faisait référence à une femme à Nice qui a été obligé de retirer sa chemise à la plage.

From New York Times • Sep. 2, 2016

And the French have August, so I’m not sure if they’ll be reading this week’s linker, or packing pour la plage.

From Forbes • Jul. 26, 2013

All the previous day she had sat soberly in a corner of the little garden that overlooked the little plage where none but bonnes and their charges ever passed.

From The Rocks of Valpre by Dell, Ethel M. (Ethel May)