planado

Planado is a term used in Spanish and Portuguese with several related meanings originating from the verb planar (to plane, to smooth) and sometimes to glide. As a noun or adjective, planado most commonly describes a surface that has been smoothed and leveled by planing, or the result of the planing process.

In woodworking and carpentry, planado refers to a planed surface; a piece of wood described as planado has been shaved down to produce a uniform, flat finish, typically using a hand plane or a power planer.

In architecture and construction, planado can denote the act or result of making a surface flat or even, such as planado ground or planado pavement, indicating level terrain or levelled surfaces.

In aviation and physics, the related verb planar means to glide; planado may appear in descriptions of a gliding phase or state, though it is less common as a standalone term.

In addition to its common uses, planado can function as a surname or toponym in some Spanish- and Portuguese-speaking regions, though such uses are rare and context-dependent.

Etymology: planado derives from planar, ultimately from Latin planus meaning flat or level.