Definition of "boilerplate" in English

noun

1. A sheet of copper or steel used in the construction of a boiler.

2. (UK) The rating plate or nameplate required to be affixed to a boiler by the Boiler Explosions Act (1882).

3. A plate attached to industrial machinery, identifying information such as manufacturer, model number, serial number, and power requirements.

4. (journalism) Syndicated material.

5. Standard text of a legal or official nature added to documents or labels.

   • They put that boilerplate on all the warning labels.

6. (computing) A standard piece of program code used routinely and added with a text editor or word processor.

7. Formulaic or hackneyed language.

8. (skiing) Hard, icy snow which may be dangerous for skiing.

adjective

1. Describing text or other material of a standard or routine nature.

   • The contract contained all the usual boilerplate clauses.

2. (aeronautics) Used to refer to a non-functional spacecraft used to test configuration and procedures.

   • A boilerplate spacecraft was used to test the rocket.

verb

1. (transitive) To store standard text so that it can easily be retrieved for reuse.