baize

American  

[beyz] / beɪz /

noun

1. a soft, usually green, woolen or cotton fabric resembling felt, used chiefly for the tops of billiard tables.

2. an article of this fabric or of a fabric resembling it.

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verb (used with object)

baized, baizing

1. to line or cover with baize.

baize British  

/ beɪz /

noun

1. a woollen fabric resembling felt, usually green, used mainly for the tops of billiard tables

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verb

1. (tr) to line or cover with such fabric

Etymology

Origin of baize

1570–80; earlier bayes < French baies (noun), Old French ( estoffes fabrics) baies, feminine plural of bai (adj.) bay ⁵

Example Sentences

Williams' cautiousness about going under the knife suggests he still has ambitions to continue on the baize for years to come - and who can blame him.

From BBC • Apr. 17, 2026

He stopped showing on catwalks in 2014, but unlike many who have rolled the dice on the baize of London Fashion Week, Mr. Rocha came out of the game independent and successful.

From New York Times • Feb. 18, 2022

Like most sports, women's snooker ground to a halt when the coronavirus pandemic struck but after an 18-month break, England's top competitors are back on the baize.

From BBC • Aug. 10, 2021

Its green baize surface is all but obscured by papers and manuscripts – even, sometimes, a folder or two containing fragments of ancient papyrus.

From The Guardian • Jan. 9, 2020

“A gloomy wood,” according to the one playbill, was represented by a few shrubs in pots, green baize on the floor, and a cave in the distance.

From "Little Women" by Louisa May Alcott