Where does “microplane” come from?

microplane (English) comes from English plane, from Middle English plane, from Old French plane, from Latin platanus, from Greek πλάτανος, from Ancient Greek πλάτανος, from Ancient Greek πλατύς, from Proto-Indo-European pléth₂us — flat.

microplane (English): One of a set of planes, variously oriented and microscopically bounded, within a material, used in modelling stresses etc

Definitions

  1. One of a set of planes, variously oriented and microscopically bounded, within a material, used in modelling stresses etc

Ancestry of “microplane”, step by step

microplane traces back through two separate lines of ancestry.

via English plane

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1EnglishplaneOf a surface: flat or level; A level or flat...
2Middle Englishplane
3Old Frenchplane
4Latinplatanusplanetree, sycamore
5Greekπλάτανοςplane tree
6Ancient Greekπλάτανοςplanetree
7Ancient Greekπλατύςwide, broad; flat, level; broad-shouldered
8Proto-Indo-Europeanpléth₂usflat, broad
9Proto-Indo-Europeanpleth₂-flat

via English micro

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1EnglishmicroSmall, relatively small; short form of...
2Ancient Greekμικρόςlittle, small
3Proto-Indo-Europeanmēy-soft, tender, dear
Every word from Proto-Indo-European pleth₂-Every word from Proto-Indo-European pléth₂usEvery word from Ancient Greek πλατύς