cloth

American  

[klawth, kloth] / klɔθ, klɒθ /

noun

plural

cloths

1. a fabric formed by weaving, felting, etc., from wool, hair, silk, flax, cotton, or other fiber, used for garments, upholstery, and many other items.

2. a piece of such a fabric for a particular purpose.

   an altar cloth.

3. the particular attire of any profession, especially that of the clergy.

4. the cloth, the clergy.

   men of the cloth.

5. Nautical.

   1. one of the lengths of canvas or duck of standard width sewn side by side to form a sail, awning, or tarpaulin.

   2. any of various pieces of canvas or duck for reinforcing certain areas of a sail.

   3. a number of sails taken as a whole.

6. Obsolete. a garment; clothing.

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adjective

1. of or made of cloth.

   She wore a cloth coat trimmed with fur.

2. clothbound.

cloth British  

/ klɒθ /

noun

1. 1. a fabric formed by weaving, felting or knitting wool, cotton, etc

   2. ( as modifier )

      a cloth bag

2. a piece of such fabric used for a particular purpose, as for a dishcloth

3. 1. the clothes worn by a clergyman

   2. the clergy

4. obsolete clothing

5. nautical any of the panels of a sail

6. a piece of coloured fabric, used on the stage as scenery

7. a garment in a traditional non-European style

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cloth Idioms  

1. see out of whole cloth; sackcloth and ashes.

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Other Word Forms

• clothlike adjective
• undercloth noun

Etymology

Origin of cloth

before 900; Middle English cloth, clath cloth, garment, Old English clāth; cognate with Dutch kleed, German Kleid

Example Sentences

I suddenly spring upward in my seat, alarmed at the touch of some sort of cloth — or perhaps a feather? — across my ankles.

From Los Angeles Times • Mar. 26, 2026

If something’s sticky or stubborn, let it sit with a damp cloth for a minute before wiping; it saves you from unnecessary scrubbing.

From Salon • Mar. 19, 2026

"You can only pretty much cut your coat according to your cloth size and we don't have wrist spinners or mystery spinners," Conrad said.

From BBC • Mar. 3, 2026

"When leaders wear it, it reminds people this cloth is ours," Agboli said.

From Barron's • Feb. 13, 2026

In the distance, the rocks glittered on the hills; it seemed as if a soft green cloth was stretched over them.

From "Nory Ryan’s Song" by Patricia Reilly Giff

Related Words

• cotton
• goods
• material
• stuff