a flat piece of timber, sawn and planed; it is technically distinguished from a "board" by its greater thickness, and should measure from 2 to 4 in. in thickness and from 10 to 11 in.

in width. The word comes through the Fr. planche (from postAugustan, Lat. planca, a nasalized adaptation probably of Gr. 7rX6., something flat, especially a flat stone. The use of the word "plank" in the sense of an article in a political programme is of American origin and is due to the use of "platform" for the programme itself.

Bibliography Information
Chisholm, Hugh, General Editor. Entry for 'Plank'. 1911 Encyclopedia Britanica. https://www.studylight.org/encyclopedias/eng/bri/p/plank.html. 1910.

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1911 Encyclopedia Britannica

Bible Encyclopedias
Plank