Platform

[plat-fawrm] /ˈplæt fɔrm/

noun
1.
a horizontal surface or structure with a horizontal surface raised above the level of the surrounding area.
2.
a raised flooring or other horizontal surface, such as, in a hall or meeting place, a stage for use by public speakers, performers, etc.
3.
the raised area between or alongside the tracks of a railroad station, from which the cars of the train are entered.
4.
the open entrance area, or the vestibule, at the end of a railroad passenger car.
5.
a landing in a flight of stairs.
6.
a public statement of the principles, objectives, and policy of a political party, especially as put forth by the representatives of the party in a convention to nominate candidates for an election:
The platform contained the usual platitudes.
7.
a body of principles on which a person or group takes a stand in appealing to the public; program:
The Fabians developed an all-embracing platform promising utopia.
8.
a set of principles; plan.
9.
a place for public discussion; forum.
10.
a decklike construction on which the drill rig of an offshore oil or gas well is erected.
11.
Building Trades. a relatively flat member or construction for distributing weight, as a wall plate, grillage, etc.
12.
Military.

13.
Nautical. 1 (def 42a).
14.
a flat, elevated piece of ground.
15.
Geology. a vast area of undisturbed sedimentary rocks that, together with a shield, constitutes a craton.
16.
a thick insert of leather, cork, or other sturdy material between the uppers and the sole of a shoe, usually intended for stylish effect or to give added height.
17.
platforms, platform shoes.
18.
Digital Technology.

19.
a scheme of religious principles or doctrines.
/ˈplætfɔːm/
noun
1.
a raised floor or other horizontal surface, such as a stage for speakers
2.
a raised area at a railway station, from which passengers have access to the trains
3.
See drilling platform, production platform
4.
the declared principles, aims, etc, of a political party, an organization, or an individual
5.
a level raised area of ground
6.

7.
a vehicle or level place on which weapons are mounted and fired
8.
a specific type of computer hardware or computer operating system
n.

1540s, “plan of action, scheme, design,” from Middle French plateforme, platte fourme, literally “flat form,” from Old French plat “flat” (see plateau (n.)) + forme “form” (see form (n.)). The literal sense of “raised, level surface” in English is first recorded 1550s. Political meaning, “statement of party policies,” is from 1803, probably originally an image of a literal platform on which politicians gather, stand, and make their appeals, perhaps influenced by earlier sense of “set of rules governing church doctrine” (first attested 1570s). Railroad station sense is from 1838.
platform
(plāt’fôrm’)

A political party’s or candidate’s written statement of principles and plans. A platform is usually developed by a committee at the party convention during a presidential campaign.

The combination of computer hardware and operating system that applications must be compatible with.

Specific computer hardware, as in the phrase “platform-independent”. It may also refer to a specific combination of hardware and operating system and/or compiler, as in “this program has been ported to several platforms”. It is also used to refer to support software for a particular activity, as in “This program provides a platform for research into routing protocols”.
(1994-12-07)