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• arras
  arras

  noun

  a rich tapestry.
• Arras
  Arras

  noun

  a city in and capital of Pas-de-Calais, in N France: battles in World War I.

arras

¹ American  

[ar-uhs] / ˈær əs /

noun

1. a rich tapestry.

2. a tapestry weave.

3. a wall hanging, as a tapestry or similar object.

4. Theater. a curtain suspended loosely across a stage and used as a backdrop or part of a stage setting.

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arras ² American  

[ahr-ahs, ahr-rahs] / ˈɑr ɑs, ˈɑr rɑs /

noun

(used with a singular verb)

1. a gift presented at marriage by a husband to his wife in consideration of her dowry.

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Arras ³ American  

[ar-uhs, a-rahs] / ˈær əs, aˈrɑs /

noun

1. a city in and capital of Pas-de-Calais, in N France: battles in World War I.

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Arras ¹ British  

/ arɑs, ˈærəs /

noun

1. a town in N France: formerly famous for tapestry; severely damaged in both World Wars. Pop: 40 590 (1999)

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arras ² British  

/ ˈærəs /

noun

1. a wall hanging, esp of tapestry

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Other Word Forms

• arrased
  adjective

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Etymology

Origin of arras¹

1375–1425; late Middle English, named after Arras

Origin of arras²

< Spanish: literally, earnest money. See earnest ²

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Explanation

An arras is a tapestry that's hung as a decoration, especially one decorated with complex stitched designs. There's a famous reference to an arras in Shakespeare's play Hamlet, when Polonius hides in an alcove behind an arras to eavesdrop. Imagine the kind of heavy woven tapestries you might see in a museum when you think of an arras. The name comes from the French city where they were first made, Arras in northern France. The original term for this fabric was draps d'arras, or "cloths of Arras."

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

arras Arras

Staged moments — characters eavesdropping like Polonius behind his arras, lovers exchanging vows — baldly recall the genre’s cliches.

From Washington Post ● Aug. 10, 2015

But I don't like it when they jump up and down behind the arras like Polonius in Hamlet, trying to distract my attention from the poor old actors.

From The Guardian ● Jul. 4, 2012

So frequently does the play come up, indeed, that it has become a tradition at the annual Critics' Circle dinner to nail one Sambuca for every arras you've seen stabbed.

From The Guardian ● Oct. 11, 2010

It is only possible to do the job properly from behind the arras.

From The Guardian ● Oct. 9, 2010

Gawaine sat gloomily on one of the side benches placed there for petitioners, with his arms folded and his head against the arras.

From "The Once and Future King" by T. H. White

He succeeded in escaping a PoW camp at Arras in France.

From BBC ● Mar. 10, 2025

Meeting authors like Robledo and Arras has drawn Marez into L.A.’s literary world and taught him tricks of a trade that is often opaque to outsiders.

From Los Angeles Times ● May 20, 2024

Earlier Saturday, Macron’s office announced the mobilization of 7,000 soldiers by Monday night, after the government heightened the national threat alert in the wake of the school attack in the northern city of Arras.

From Seattle Times ● Oct. 14, 2023

The French government has deployed 7,000 troops as the perceived threat of terrorism rises in the wake of the stabbing in Arras and heightened tensions caused by the conflict in Israel and Gaza.

From Salon ● Oct. 14, 2023

But the only significant gain of ground had been the capture by the Canadians of the dominating Vimy Ridge near Arras.

From "The War to End All Wars: World War I" by Russell Freedman

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Related Words

• drapery

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