pleat

1 of 2

verb

pleated; pleating; pleats

transitive verb

1
: fold
especially : to arrange in pleats
pleat a skirt
2
pleater noun

pleat

2 of 2

noun

: a fold in cloth made by doubling material over on itself
also : something resembling such a fold
pleatless adjective

Examples of pleat in a Sentence

Noun Her skirt has pleats at the waist.
Recent Examples on the Web
Verb
Fold the pastry up and over the filling, pleating the pastry to fit. Sarah Martens, Better Homes & Gardens, 14 Feb. 2024 Their ability to take a detailed orange and blue floral print and elevate it through texture, shape, and pleating received delighted gasps from several spectators in the room. Essence, 12 Feb. 2024 The bridesmaids’ designer looks featured delicate pleating and dreamy ruffles that perfectly matched the vibe of Nist's romantic ensemble. Michelle Lee, Peoplemag, 17 Jan. 2024 This was expressed in a variety of ways: embroidery and beading, embellishments such as tufts, and even dimensional materials, where pleats or weaves amplified a flat surface to 3-D. Charlotte Observer, 1 Feb. 2024 Space Age-y fabrics that add structure to fashion with all the stretch and pleating are having an impact on home design as well. Elaine Markoutsas, Kansas City Star, 24 Jan. 2024 The bridesmaids wore strapless light blue floor-length dresses with delicate pleating and dreamy ruffles that perfectly matched the vibe of Nist's romantic dress. Hedy Phillips, Peoplemag, 5 Jan. 2024 Fold and pleat the border up and around the carrots, leaving the center open. The View, ABC News, 22 Nov. 2023 The pleating in the pants and the lines in the half-zip sweater give this set a super elevated look, while the oversized mock neck is both useful (zip it up for warmth) and just plain stylish. Samantha Leal, Travel + Leisure, 15 Nov. 2023
Noun
This set features a soft knit fabric for extra coziness, and has side pleats on the pants and a forward pleat on the pullover that gives it a more elevated look. Samantha Leal, Travel + Leisure, 22 Mar. 2024 Month by month, pants got puffier, growing higher rises and sprouting more and more pleats. Jonah Weiner, New York Times, 3 Mar. 2024 The trousers' high waist and streamlined pleats nip you in while effortlessly elongating your legs. Wendy Vazquez, Southern Living, 23 Feb. 2024 The Friends alum paired the understated look, which featured an asymmetrical hemline that hit above her knee and pleats on the sides, with a delicate necklace and ankle-strap heels. Michelle Lee, Peoplemag, 19 Feb. 2024 Her bodice was fitted with skinny straps paired with a skirt of gentle pleats that fell to a train. Leanne Italie, Twin Cities, 7 Jan. 2024 The trousers are designed with pleats, an elasticized waistband, and have handy pockets. Amy Schulman, Peoplemag, 1 Mar. 2024 Both are pleated and are embroidered within the pleats with shard beads and crystals. Laurie Brookins, The Hollywood Reporter, 15 Jan. 2024 Puff sleeves mark the debutant, spangles the circus performer; there’s satin lingerie for the coquette, goddess pleats and chainmail for the latter-day flapper. Nicole Phelps, Vogue, 13 Feb. 2024

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'pleat.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

Verb

Middle English pleiten, derivative of playte, pleit pleat entry 2

Noun

Middle English playte, pleit, plite, pliȝt "fold, fold in cloth made by doubling over material, wrinkle, braid, strand in a braided cord, unit of measure for cloth," borrowed from Anglo-French pleit, plet, plite, playe "fold, bend, unit of cloth, knot, twist," going back to Vulgar Latin *plictum "something folded," noun derivative from neuter of Latin plictus, variant of plicātus, past participle of plicāre "to fold, bend" — more at ply entry 3

Note: The form plictus is apparently attested as a variant of plicātus in manuscripts of Seneca's letters (see Oxford Latin Dictionary and note at explicit). — The Middle English word shows many spellings and has given rise to markedly diverse outcomes in Modern English. The modern form pleat /plit/ would appear to be a regular development of the French diphthongal spelling pleit (compare Anglo-French pais, peis "peace," fait "feat," etc.). The spelling plait entry 1, if pronounced /pleɪt/, either retains the diphthong (until merger with /ɛ:/ from Middle English long a) or represents some other alteration. If pronounced /plæt/, the word is in effect a spelling variant of plat entry 2, a noun derivative of plat entry 1. In addition, there is plet, going back to later Middle English plet, plette, which the Oxford English Dictionary, third edition, characterizes as now "chiefly Scottish and Irish English"; it may result from shortening of the form with /ɛ:/ that gave rise to pleat.

First Known Use

Verb

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Noun

15th century, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of pleat was in the 14th century

Dictionary Entries Near pleat

Cite this Entry

“Pleat.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/pleat. Accessed 29 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

pleat

1 of 2 verb
1
: to fold or arrange in pleats
pleat a skirt
2
pleater noun

pleat

2 of 2 noun
: a fold (as in cloth) made by doubling material over on itself

More from Merriam-Webster on pleat

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