noun · 5 senses · updated from the 2026-07-25 local source snapshot
Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.
Sound
Pronunciation
Each Play button uses your device's default local English voice, or a natural local fallback. The selected voice name appears after playback. This is synthesized speech, not a source recording.
/ˈtɹɛnt͡ʃə(ɹ)/
Southern-England:Recorded audio is listed in the source snapshot.
rhymes with -ɛntʃə(ɹ)
CMU ARPABET:T R EH1 N CH ER0
Digits mark lexical stress: 1 primary, 2 secondary, 0 unstressed.
1
noun
Meaning 1
A plate on which food is served or cut.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: archaic, historical
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
2
noun
Meaning 2
Someone who trenches; especially, one who cuts or digs ditches.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
3
noun
Meaning 3
A machine for digging trenches.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
4
noun
Meaning 4
a wooden board or platter on which food is served or carved
Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
Broader terms: board
5
noun
Meaning 5
someone who digs trenches
Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
Broader terms: digger
History
Etymology
From Middle English trenchour, from Anglo-Norman trenchour and Old Northern French trencheor (French tranchoir), from trenchier (“to cut, to carve”). See trench (verb).
Across languages
Translations
10 source translations are retained for this English entry.
Bulgarian:
поднос
(podnos)
— (archaic or historical) a plate on which food is served
Catalan:
tallador
— (archaic or historical) a plate on which food is served
Galician:
tallador
— (archaic or historical) a plate on which food is served
Ancient Greek:
πίναξ
(pínax)
— (archaic or historical) a plate on which food is served
Scottish Gaelic:
truinnsear
— (archaic or historical) a plate on which food is served
Welsh:
trensiwr
— (archaic or historical) a plate on which food is served
Finnish:
ojankaivaja
— one who trenches
Welsh:
cloddiwr
— one who trenches
Bulgarian:
окопна машина
(okopna mašina)
— machine for digging trenches