place
/pleɪs/ IELTSAcademic
noun
- 1.
a particular area or point in space. It can be a town, room, seat, or spot.
- This is a quiet place to study.
- Please take your place in the queue.
- 2.
a position, role, or rank in a group or order.
- She finished in second place.
- Honesty has a special place in this family.
verb
to put something in a particular position, or arrange for something to happen.
- Please place the books on the shelf.
- They placed an order online.
Adinary Nuance
Place is very general. Use it when you mean a location, a spot, or a position in a list or group. It is broader than "spot" or "location", and less formal than some words like "position" in academic writing. As a verb, it often means "put" or "arrange", but sounds a little more careful than "put".
In other languages
- Vietnamese
- nơi
- Spanish
- lugar
- Chinese
- 地方
- Japanese
- 場所
- Korean
- 장소
Etymology
Place comes from Old French place, from Latin platea, meaning 'broad street' or 'open space'. In English, it later grew to mean a location, position, or act of putting something somewhere.
Common phrases
take placein placeplace of workplace an order
Synonyms
Related words
Frequently asked questions
- What is the difference between place and location?
- Place is more general and everyday. Location often sounds more specific or more exact.
- Is place a common word in academic writing?
- Yes. It is common, especially in phrases like "place an order" or "take place".
- Can place mean a position in a competition?
- Yes. You can say first place, second place, or no place.
- Is place formal or informal?
- It is neutral. It works in both speech and writing.