An Etymological Dictionary of Astronomy and Astrophysics

An area, position, or portion of space. → mean place

Etymology (EN): O.E. from O.Fr. place, from M.L. placea “place, spot,” from L. platea “courtyard, open space, broad street,” from Gk. plateia (hodos) “broad (way),” feminine of platus “broad;” cognate with Av. pərəθu- “broad;” Skt. prthú- “broad, wide;” Lith. platus “broad;” Ger. Fladen “flat cake;” O.Ir. lethan “broad;” PIE base *plat- “to spread.”

Etymology (PE): Jâ “place” (from Mid.Pers. giyag “place;” O.Pers. ā-vahana- “place, village;” Av. vah- “to dwell, stay,” vanhaiti “he dwells, stays;” Skt. vásati “he dwells;” Gk. aesa (nukta) “to pass (the night);”
Ossetic wat “room; bed; place;” Tokharian B wäs- “to stay, wait;” PIE base ues- “to stay, live, spend the night”).