Saucer vs. Plate — What's the Difference?
Edited by Tayyaba Rehman — By Fiza Rafique — Updated on November 6, 2023
A saucer is a small, round dish designed to hold a cup, while a plate is a broader, flatter dish used for serving or eating food.
Difference Between Saucer and Plate
Table of Contents
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Key Differences
A saucer, in its most common form, is designed as a small dish with a slight depression in the center to securely hold a tea or coffee cup. In contrast, a plate is a broader, flat dish and comes in various sizes, such as dinner plates or salad plates, each designed to serve different types of food.
The word "saucer" derives from the Old French word 'soussier', referring to a dish to 'sauce'. A saucer's primary function is to catch drips from a cup or to hold used tea bags. Conversely, the word "plate" comes from the Middle English word 'platte', which means a flat piece or sheet, directly reflecting its function to hold a variety of foods in a relatively flat or slightly concave form.
While a saucer is often an accompaniment to a cup in a tea set, a plate is a standalone item that comes in different forms to serve individual portions or larger quantities of food. Saucers are typically not used independently for eating, unlike plates, which are essential dinnerware for individual servings.
Saucers tend to have a more specific use and are smaller in size, generally between 4 to 6 inches in diameter. Plates, on the other hand, range widely in size from about 6 inches for a bread plate to 10 or 12 inches for a dinner plate. The distinction in size reflects the different roles they play in dining.
Finally, a saucer is often used for more than just holding a cup; it can serve as a lid to keep a drink warm or as a small dish for snacks. However, a plate’s role is more defined and varies minimally; it is fundamentally used for presenting and eating meals, regardless of its size, shape, or decoration.
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Comparison Chart
Primary Use
Holding cups and catching drips.
Serving and eating food.
Size
Smaller, fits a cup.
Larger, sized for individual or multiple servings.
Shape
Usually has a central depression.
Generally flat with a slight lip.
Variety
Less varied, typically part of a tea set.
More varied, including dinner, salad, dessert plates, etc.
Cultural Significance
Less prominent as an independent piece.
Central to dining etiquette and presentation.
Compare with Definitions
Saucer
A small shallow dish for holding a cup.
Her teacup sat neatly on the matching saucer.
Plate
A flat dish for serving or eating food.
She piled spaghetti onto her plate.
Saucer
A protective layer under a plant pot.
The saucer beneath the flowerpot caught excess water.
Plate
A thin, flat sheet of material.
The contractor installed a diamond plate on the floor.
Saucer
A disk-shaped flying object, resembling a cup's saucer.
Children threw the Frisbee, pretending it was a flying saucer.
Plate
A dish from which food is eaten or served.
He cleared his plate, enjoying every bite.
Saucer
A base for sweets or biscuits.
He grabbed a biscuit from the saucer on the kitchen table.
Plate
A smooth, flat, relatively thin, rigid body of uniform thickness.
Saucer
An object similar in shape to a saucer.
Plate
A sheet of hammered, rolled, or cast metal.
Saucer
A dish to hold small items or food.
She placed her earrings in a saucer on the dresser.
Plate
A very thin applied or deposited coat of metal.
Saucer
A saucer is a type of small dishware. While in the Middle Ages a saucer was used for serving condiments and sauces, currently the term is used to denote a small plate or shallow bowl that supports a cup – usually one used to serve coffee or tea.
Plate
A flat piece of metal forming part of a machine
A boiler plate.
Saucer
A small shallow dish having a slight circular depression in the center for holding a cup.
Plate
A flat piece of metal on which something is engraved.
Saucer
A small shallow dish to hold a cup and catch drips.
Plate
A license plate
A car with Utah plates.
Saucer
An object round and gently curved, shaped like a saucer.
The saucer-shaped object could have been a UFO.
Plate
A thin piece of metal used for armor.
Saucer
A circular sled without runners.
Plate
Armor made of such pieces.
Saucer
(obsolete) A small pan or other vessel-like food container in which sauce was set on a table.
Plate
A sheet of metal, plastic, rubber, paperboard, or other material prepared for use as a printing surface, such as an electrotype or a stereotype.
Saucer
A flat, shallow caisson for raising sunken ships.
Plate
A print of a woodcut, lithograph, or other engraved material, especially when reproduced in a book.
Saucer
A shallow socket for the pivot of a capstan.
Plate
A full-page book illustration, often in color and printed on paper different from that used for text pages.
Saucer
(transitive) To pour (tea, etc.) from the cup into the saucer in order to cool it before drinking.
Plate
(Photography) A light-sensitive sheet of glass or metal on which a photographic image can be recorded.
Saucer
(intransitive) Of the eyes: to become large and round.
Plate
(Dentistry) A thin metallic or plastic support fitted to the gums to anchor artificial teeth.
Saucer
A small pan or vessel in which sauce was set on a table.
Plate
(Architecture) In wood-frame construction, a horizontal member that bears a load, as of a roof or a wall.
Saucer
A small dish, commonly deeper than a plate, in which a cup is set at table.
Plate
(Baseball) Home plate.
Saucer
Something resembling a saucer in shape.
Plate
A shallow dish in which food is served or from which it is eaten.
Saucer
Something with a round shape like a flat circular plate
Plate
The contents of such a dish
Ate a plate of spaghetti.
Saucer
A small shallow dish for holding a cup at the table
Plate
A whole course served on such a dish.
Saucer
Directional antenna consisting of a parabolic reflector for microwave or radio frequency radiation
Plate
Service and food for one person at a meal
Dinner at a set price per plate.
Saucer
A disk used in throwing competitions
Plate
Household articles, such as hollowware, covered with a precious metal, such as silver or gold.
Plate
A dish passed among the members of a group or congregation for the collection of offerings.
Plate
A dish, cup, or other article of silver or gold offered as a prize.
Plate
A contest, especially a horserace, offering such a prize.
Plate
A thin cut of beef from underneath the ribs, including the diaphragm muscle.
Plate
A thin flat layer or scale, as that of a fish.
Plate
A platelike part, organ, or structure, such as that covering some reptiles.
Plate
An electrode, as in a storage battery or capacitor.
Plate
The anode in an electron tube.
Plate
(Geology) See tectonic plate.
Plate
(Informal) A schedule of matters to be dealt with
Had a lot on my plate at work after vacation.
Plate
To coat or cover with a thin layer of metal.
Plate
To cover with armor plate
Plate a warship.
Plate
(Printing) To make a stereotype or electrotype from.
Plate
To give a glossy finish to (paper) by pressing between metal sheets or rollers.
Plate
To arrange (food) on a plate, as for serving
"a choice of starters, entrées, and desserts plated just as they will appear when ordered" (John Edward Young).
Plate
(Baseball) To cause (a run) to be scored or (a runner) to cross home plate, as by a hit.
Plate
A slightly curved but almost flat dish from which food is served or eaten.
I filled my plate from the bountiful table.
Plate
(uncountable) Such dishes collectively.
Plate
The contents of such a dish.
I ate a plate of beans.
Plate
A course at a meal.
The meat plate was particularly tasty.
Plate
(figuratively) An agenda of tasks, problems, or responsibilities
With revenues down and transfer payments up, the legislature has a full plate.
Plate
A flat object of uniform thickness.
The most important and most expensive part of any solar cell is a silicon plate.
Plate
A vehicle license plate.
He stole a car and changed the plates as soon as he could.
Plate
A taxi permit, especially of a metal disc.
Plate
(historical) Plate armor.
He was confronted by two knights in full plate.
Plate
A layer of a material on the surface of something, usually qualified by the type of the material; plating
The bullets just bounced off the steel plate on its hull.
Plate
A material covered with such a layer.
If you're not careful, someone will sell you silverware that's really only silver plate.
Plate
(dated) An ornamental or food service item coated with silver or gold or otherwise decorated.
The tea was served in the plate.
Plate
(weightlifting) A weighted disk, usually of metal, with a hole in the center for use with a barbell, dumbbell, or exercise machine.
Plate
(printing) An engraved surface used to transfer an image to paper.
We finished making the plates this morning.
Plate
An image or copy.
Plate
An illustration in a book, either black and white, or colour, usually on a page of paper of different quality from the text pages.
Plate
(dentistry) A shaped and fitted surface, usually ceramic or metal that fits into the mouth and in which teeth are implanted; a dental plate.
Plate
(construction) A horizontal framing member at the top or bottom of a group of vertical studs.
Plate
(Cockney rhyming slang) A foot, from "plates of meat".
Sit down and give your plates a rest.
Plate
(baseball) Home plate.
There was a close play at the plate.
Plate
(geology) A tectonic plate.
Plate
(herpetology) Any of various larger scales found in some reptiles.
Plate
A flat electrode such as can be found in an accumulator battery, or in an electrolysis tank.
Plate
The anode of a vacuum tube.
Regulating the oscillator plate voltage greatly improves the keying.
Plate
A prize given to the winner in a contest.
Plate
(chemistry) Any flat piece of material such as coated glass or plastic.
Plate
A metallic card, used to imprint tickets with an airline's logo, name, and numeric code.
Plate
The ability of a travel agent to issue tickets on behalf of a particular airline.
Plate
(Australia) A VIN plate, particularly with regard to the car's year of manufacture.
Plate
One of the thin parts of the brisket of an animal.
Plate
A very light steel horseshoe for racehorses.
Plate
(furriers' slang) Skins for fur linings of garments, sewn together and roughly shaped, but not finally cut or fitted.
Plate
(hat-making) The fine nap (as of beaver, musquash, etc.) on a hat whose body is made from inferior material.
Plate
(music) A record, usually vinyl.
Plate
(military) trauma plate.
The SAPI plate in his vest protected him from the bullet's impact.
Plate
Precious metal, especially silver.
Plate
(obsolete) Silver or gold, in the form of a coin, or less often silver or gold utensils or dishes.
Plate
(heraldic charge) A roundel of silver or argent.
Plate
To cover the surface material of an object with a thin coat of another material, usually a metal.
This ring is plated with a thin layer of gold.
Plate
To place the various elements of a meal on the diner's plate prior to serving.
After preparation, the chef will plate the dish.
Plate
(baseball) To score a run.
The single plated the runner from second base.
Plate
(transitive) To arm or defend with metal plates.
Plate
(transitive) To beat into thin plates.
Plate
To specify which airline a ticket will be issued on behalf of.
Tickets are normally plated on an itinerary's first international airline.
Plate
(philately) to categorise stamps based on their position on the original sheet, in order to reconstruct an entire sheet.
Plate
(philately) (particularly with early British stamps) to identify the printing plate used.
Plate
A flat, or nearly flat, piece of metal, the thickness of which is small in comparison with the other dimensions; a thick sheet of metal; as, a steel plate.
Plate
Metallic armor composed of broad pieces.
Mangled . . . through plate and mail.
Plate
Domestic vessels and utensils, as flagons, dishes, cups, etc., wrought in gold or silver.
Plate
Metallic ware which is plated, in distinction from that which is silver or gold throughout.
Plate
A small, shallow, and usually circular, vessel of metal or wood, or of earth glazed and baked, from which food is eaten at table.
Plate
A piece of money, usually silver money.
Plate
A piece of metal on which anything is engraved for the purpose of being printed; hence, an impression from the engraved metal; as, a book illustrated with plates; a fashion plate.
Plate
A page of stereotype, electrotype, or the like, for printing from; as, publisher's plates.
Plate
That part of an artificial set of teeth which fits to the mouth, and holds the teeth in place. It may be of gold, platinum, silver, rubber, celluloid, etc.
Plate
A horizontal timber laid upon a wall, or upon corbels projecting from a wall, and supporting the ends of other timbers; also used specifically of the roof plate which supports the ends of the roof trusses or, in simple work, the feet of the rafters.
Plate
A roundel of silver or tinctured argent.
Plate
A sheet of glass, porcelain, metal, etc., with a coating that is sensitive to light.
Plate
A prize giving to the winner in a contest.
Plate
A small five-sided area (enveloping a diamond-shaped area one foot square) beside which the batter stands and which must be touched by some part of a player on completing a run; - called also home base, or home plate.
Plate
One of the thin parts of the bricket of an animal.
Plate
A very light steel racing horsehoe.
Plate
Loosely, a sporting contest for a prize; specif., in horse racing, a race for a prize, the contestants not making a stake.
Plate
Skins for fur linings of garments, sewed together and roughly shaped, but not finally cut or fitted.
Plate
The fine nap (as of beaver, hare's wool, musquash, nutria, or English black wool) on a hat the body of which is of an inferior substance.
Plate
A quantity sufficient to fill a plate; a plateful; a dish containing that quantity; a plate of spaghetti.
Plate
The food and service supplied to a customer at a restaurant; as, the turkey dinner is $9 a plate; I'll have a plate of spaghetti.
Plate
A flat dish of glass or plastic with a fitted cover, used for culturing microorganisms in a laboratory.
Plate
The identification tag required to be displayed on the outside of a vehicle; same as license plate; - often used in the plural.
Plate
An agenda or schedule of tasks to be performed; I have a lot on my plate today.
Plate
To cover or overlay with gold, silver, or other metals, either by a mechanical process, as hammering, or by a chemical process, as electrotyping.
Plate
To cover or overlay with plates of metal; to arm with metal for defense.
Thus plated in habiliments of war.
Plate
To adorn with plated metal; as, a plated harness.
Plate
To beat into thin, flat pieces, or laminæ.
Plate
To calender; as, to plate paper.
Plate
A sheet of metal or wood or glass or plastic
Plate
(baseball) base consisting of a rubber slab where the batter stands; it must be touched by a base runner in order to score;
He ruled that the runner failed to touch home
Plate
A full-page illustration (usually on slick paper)
Plate
Dish on which food is served or from which food is eaten
Plate
The quantity contained in a plate
Plate
A rigid layer of the Earth's crust that is believed to drift slowly
Plate
The thin under portion of the forequarter
Plate
A main course served on a plate;
A vegetable plate
The blue plate special
Plate
Any flat platelike body structure or part
Plate
The positively charged electrode in a vacuum tube
Plate
A flat sheet of metal or glass on which a photographic image can be recorded
Plate
Structural member consisting of a horizontal beam that provides bearing and anchorage
Plate
A shallow receptacle for collection in church
Plate
A metal sheathing of uniform thickness (such as the shield attached to an artillery piece to protect the gunners)
Plate
A dental appliance that artificially replaces missing teeth
Plate
The position on a baseball team of the player who is stationed behind home plate and who catches the balls that the pitcher throws;
A catcher needs a lot of protective equipment
He plays behind the plate
Plate
Coat with a layer of metal;
Plate spoons with silver
Plate
A flat dish used in a printing press.
The printer set the plate for the new book run.
Plate
An item of crockery, typically broader than a saucer.
He set the table with plates and silverware.
Common Curiosities
Are saucers always round?
While traditionally round, modern designs can vary in shape.
Can a saucer be used for eating?
Saucers are not typically used for eating but may hold small snacks or sweets.
What is a saucer?
A small dish designed to support a cup or hold small items.
Are plates always flat?
Plates are mostly flat with a slight rim or edge but can occasionally have a slight bowl shape.
What sizes do plates come in?
Plates range from about 6 inches for bread plates to 12 inches for dinner plates.
Are all plates microwave safe?
Not all plates are microwave safe; it depends on the material they are made from.
Can plates be collectible?
Yes, plates can be collectible items, often prized for their designs or historical value.
Is a paper plate considered a plate?
Yes, paper plates are a disposable version designed for convenience.
Do saucers have a lip or rim?
Saucers typically have a rim to support the cup and catch drips.
Can you use a plate as a saucer?
Plates are generally too large to use as a saucer for a cup.
What materials are saucers made from?
Saucers are made from a variety of materials, including porcelain, stoneware, glass, and plastic.
Is it proper to serve food on a saucer?
It's unusual to serve food on a saucer, as they are intended for cups and small items like tea bags or lemon wedges.
Do saucers come with every cup?
Not every cup comes with a saucer, but they are common in formal tea or coffee sets.
What's the primary purpose of a saucer?
The primary purpose of a saucer is to hold a cup and prevent spills.
Can plates be decorative?
Yes, plates can be both functional and decorative, serving as part of the table decor.
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Written by
Fiza RafiqueFiza Rafique is a skilled content writer at AskDifference.com, where she meticulously refines and enhances written pieces. Drawing from her vast editorial expertise, Fiza ensures clarity, accuracy, and precision in every article. Passionate about language, she continually seeks to elevate the quality of content for readers worldwide.
Edited by
Tayyaba RehmanTayyaba Rehman is a distinguished writer, currently serving as a primary contributor to askdifference.com. As a researcher in semantics and etymology, Tayyaba's passion for the complexity of languages and their distinctions has found a perfect home on the platform. Tayyaba delves into the intricacies of language, distinguishing between commonly confused words and phrases, thereby providing clarity for readers worldwide.
