quilt

[kwilt]

noun

1. a coverlet for a bed, made of two layers of fabric with some soft substance, as wool or down, between them and stitched in patterns or tufted through all thicknesses in order to prevent the filling from shifting.

2. anything quilted or resembling a quilt.

3. a bedspread or counterpane, especially a thick one.

4. Obsolete.,  a mattress.

verb (used with object)

1. to stitch together (two pieces of cloth and a soft interlining), usually in an ornamental pattern.

2. to sew up between pieces of material.

3. to pad or line with material.

verb (used without object)

1. to make quilts or quilted work.

quilt

/ kwɪlt /

noun

1. a thick warm cover for a bed, consisting of a soft filling sewn between two layers of material, usually with crisscross seams

2. a bedspread or counterpane

3. anything quilted or resembling a quilt

verb

1. to stitch together (two pieces of fabric) with (a thick padding or lining) between them

   to quilt cotton and wool

2. to create (a garment, covering, etc) in this way

3. to pad with material

4. informal,  to strike; clout

Other Word Forms

• quilter noun

Word History and Origins

Origin of quilt¹

1250–1300; Middle English quilte < Old French cuilte < Latin culcita mattress, cushion

Word History and Origins

Origin of quilt¹

C13: from Old French coilte mattress, from Latin culcita stuffed item of bedding

Example Sentences

The water was followed by a trip to the kitchen, where, wrapped in the quilt, I slumped into a chair while she hastily prepared a bowl of vegetable soup.

From Los Angeles Times

“Mama’s Gun” is one piece of fabric in this quilt I’m building, and “Abi & Alan,” I feel like is a really big piece of it and it was amazing.

From Los Angeles Times

It features only a single twin bed covered with a simple quilt on a severe-looking iron frame.

From Los Angeles Times

The kitchen windows are adorned with curtains made from quilts found at the Pasadena City College flea market and fabric from Remainders, a Pasadena craft store.

From Los Angeles Times

He held four separate hearings on redress and issued an interim report in 2023, likening the various schemes to a "patchwork quilt with a few holes in it".

From BBC

Related Words

• bedspread 
• blanket 
• comforter