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polka dot

American  
[poh-kuh] / ˈpoʊ kə /

noun

Textiles.

  1. a dot or round spot (printed, woven, or embroidered) repeated to form a pattern on a textile fabric.

  2. a pattern of or a fabric with such dots.

polka dot British  

noun

  1. one of a pattern of small circular regularly spaced spots on a fabric

    1. a fabric or pattern with such spots

    2. ( as modifier )

      a polka-dot dress
"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Other Word Forms

  • polka-dot adjective
  • polka-dotted adjective

Etymology

Origin of polka dot

An Americanism dating back to 1880–85

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

"You need to get colour and interest into the room. I go for stripes or check or polka dot and you can get a set for around £10."

From BBC • Feb. 15, 2026

Stewart did not refrain from expressing this opinion in the saltiest terms on-air, especially to Carlson, the show’s co-host who was cast as the overgrown college Republican with odious views and a polka dot bowtie.

From Salon • Feb. 2, 2026

We are lucky to have Justin Bontha — tailor to Rihanna and Madonna — on set to tweak a caftan that Cerezo crafted from polka dot fabric.

From Los Angeles Times • Mar. 11, 2025

My earliest memories of fashion would be getting a red polka dot dress for Easter and refusing to take it off.

From Los Angeles Times • Sep. 5, 2024

At first I thought my mom might say something about it, but she was like, “He could be polka dot, as long as he’s not a criminal and he’s treating you right.”

From "The Hate U Give" by Angie Thomas

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.