home plate

noun

Baseball.

1. the base at which the batter stands and which a base runner must reach safely in order to score a run, typically a five-sided slab of whitened rubber set at ground level at the front corner of the diamond.

home plate

noun

1. Also called: plate.  home.  home base. baseball a flat often five-sided piece of hard rubber or other material that serves to define the area over which the pitcher must throw the ball for a strike and that a base runner must safely reach on his way from third base to score a run

Word History and Origins

Origin of home plate¹

An Americanism dating back to 1870–75

Example Sentences

Freddie Freeman, left, and Alex Call, center, and other Dodgers players celebrate with Will Smith, right, as he crosses home plate.

From Los Angeles Times

After sheepishly returning to home plate amid a taunting roar from the hostile Dodger Stadium crowd, he flied out with a runner on second.

From Los Angeles Times

The promotional photo distributed with the press release shows Betts relaxing on a beach towel, next to home plate, headphones on.

From Los Angeles Times

All eyes will be on her on Sunday, when she stands behind home plate, calling balls and strikes, in the final match of the three-game series.

From BBC

He singled ahead of De Paula and scored on the home run, so he was waiting at home plate to congratulate De Paula.

From Los Angeles Times