platillo

Platillo is a Spanish noun with several related senses. The primary meaning is a small plate or saucer, a diminutive form of plato, used to refer to the dish that accompanies a cup or bowl, or to a small plate on the table. In households, platillo is the saucer under a teacup or coffee cup and also an individual small dish used to serve condiments or portions of food.

In gastronomy, platillo designates a dish or course in a meal, especially in Mexican and broader Latin American usage. On menus, primero platillo commonly means the first course or starter; segundo platillo is the second course. The term can also appear in plural as platillos to denote several small dishes, tapas-like items, or tasting portions. The word carries a nuance of smaller size relative to plato and can imply presentation or portion size rather than a specific course.

Other senses include a figurative or colloquial use: platillo as a small cymbal in a drum kit (plural platillos refers to cymbals); and in popular culture, platillo volador means a flying saucer. Regional variations exist: in some regions, plato is more common for a dish, while platillo emphasizes size or presentation.

Etymology: platillo derives from plato (dish) with the diminutive suffix -illo, signaling a smaller version or a smaller plate.