cloth

Meaning

1. (countable, uncountable) A fabric, usually made of woven, knitted, or felted fibres or filaments, such as used in dressing, decorating, cleaning or other practical use.
2. (countable, uncountable) Specifically, a tablecloth, especially as spread before a meal or removed afterwards.
3. (countable) A piece of cloth used for a particular purpose.
4. (countable, figuratively, uncountable) Substance or essence; the whole of something complex.
5. (countable, figuratively, uncountable) Appearance; seeming.
6. (countable, uncountable) A form of attire that represents a particular profession or status.
7. (countable, idiomatic, uncountable, with-definite-article) The priesthood.

Synonyms

fabric

material

garment

textile

clothing

clothes

rag

canvas

blanket

dress

👗

piece of cloth

web

wrap

linen

raiment

stuff

shirt

👕

broadcloth

towel

woven

texture

tissue

calico

piece

textiles

handkerchief

fabrics

vesture

cloak

drapery

weft

kerchief

vestment

cotton

screen

flax

scrap

sheet

article of clothing

patch

sail

yard goods

felting

duster

coat

🧥

duds

mantle

loom

dry goods

article

Translations

tissu

étoffe

tela

tessuto

tejido

Stoff

ύφασμα

Tuch

Gewebe

stof

pano

kumaş

vêtement

Pronounced as (IPA)

/klɒθ/

Etymology

Inherited from Middle English: cloth

Inherited from Old English: clāþ

Cognate with Albanian: ngjit

Cognate with Scots: clath

Cognate with Northern Frisian: klaid

Cognate with Saterland Frisian: Klood

Cognate with Western Frisian: kleed

Cognate with Dutch: kleed

Cognate with Low German: kleed

Cognate with German: Kleid

Cognate with Danish: klæde

Cognate with Norwegian: klede

Cognate with Swedish: kläde

Cognate with Icelandic: klæði

Cognate with Old English: clīþan

In summary

From Middle English cloth, clath, from Old English clāþ (“cloth, clothes, covering, sail”), from Proto-Germanic *klaiþą (“garment”), perhaps from Proto-Indo-European *gleyt- (“to cling to, cleave, stick”) (compare Albanian ngjit (“to stick, attach, glue”)), a form of *gleh₁y- (“to smear; to stick”). Cognate with Scots clath (“cloth”), North Frisian klaid (“dress, garment”), Saterland Frisian Klood (“dress, apparel”), West Frisian kleed (“cloth, article of clothing”), Dutch kleed (“robe, dress”), Low German kleed (“dress, garment”), German Kleid (“gown, dress”), Danish klæde (“cloth, dress”), Norwegian klede, Swedish kläde (“cloth”), Icelandic klæði (“cloth, dressing”), Old English clīþan (“to adhere, stick”).

Sentences

The resulting cloth is heavy and wrinkle-resistant, and retains its shape well .