boilerplate

boilerplate
boilerplate (n.) newspaper (and now information technology) slang for "unit of writing that can be used over and over without change," 1893, from a literal meaning (1840) "metal rolled in large, flat plates for use in making steam boilers." The connecting notion is probably of sturdiness or reusability. From 1890s to 1950s, publicity items were cast or stamped in metal ready for the printing press and distributed to newspapers as filler. The largest supplier was Western Newspaper Union.

Etymology dictionary. 2014.

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  • boilerplate — boil·er·plate / bȯi lər ˌplāt/ n: standardized text in documents (as contracts) Merriam Webster’s Dictionary of Law. Merriam Webster. 1996. boilerplate …   Law dictionary

  • Boilerplate — ((auch: Abbinder) oder engl. ursprl. Kesselplatte, Kochplatte, übertragen Standardtext, Textbaustein) bezeichnet einen gleichbleibenden Textblock meist am Ende eines Texts. Im Zusammenhang mit E Mails wird der Begriff auch im Zusammenhang mit der …   Deutsch Wikipedia

  • Boilerplate — may refer to: * Boilerplate, a relatively thick sheet of high quality steel, suitable for building boilers * Boilerplate (text), text (or program code) that can be used in a variety of situations * Boilerplate (robot), a fictional combat robot *… …   Wikipedia

  • Boilerplate —   [dt. »Kochplatte«], Textbaustein …   Universal-Lexikon

  • boilerplate — [boil′ərplāt΄] n. 1. steel rolled in large flat plates, used in making steam boilers ☆ 2. syndicated features or fillers that are relatively timeless, sent to newspapers, formerly as stereotype plates, now often by wire, mail, or computer ☆ 3. a… …   English World dictionary

  • Boilerplate — Standard terms and conditions. The New York Times Financial Glossary * * * boilerplate boil‧er‧plate [ˈbɔɪləˌpleɪt ǁ lər ] noun [countable] LAW an agreement, contract etc with standard wording: • Another piece of boilerplate that it is probably… …   Financial and business terms

  • boilerplate — Standard terms and conditions. Bloomberg Financial Dictionary * * * boilerplate boil‧er‧plate [ˈbɔɪləˌpleɪt ǁ lər ] noun [countable] LAW an agreement, contract etc with standard wording: • Another piece of boilerplate that it is probably useful… …   Financial and business terms

  • boilerplate — 1. adjective a) Describing text of a standard or routine nature. The contract contained all the usual boilerplate clauses. b) Used to describe a non functional spacecraft used to test configuration and procedures. A boilerplate spacecraft was… …   Wiktionary

  • boilerplate — boil|er|plate [ˈbɔıləpleıt US ər ] n [U and C] AmE a standard piece of writing or a design for something that can be easily used each time you need it, for example in business or legal documents →↑template ▪ a boilerplate for a fax message ▪… …   Dictionary of contemporary English

  • boilerplate — UK [ˈbɔɪlə(r)ˌpleɪt] / US [ˈbɔɪlərˌpleɪt] noun [countable/uncountable] Word forms boilerplate : singular boilerplate plural boilerplates mainly American a template (= a standard way of writing something that can be copied) used in legal documents …   English dictionary

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