cloth

[ klawth, kloth ]

noun

, plural cloths [klaw, th, z, klo, th, z, klawths, kloths].

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. Compare man of the cloth.
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.

adjective

1. of or made of cloth:

   She wore a cloth coat trimmed with fur.

2. clothbound.

cloth

/ 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. the cloth
   the cloth
   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

Other Words From

• clothlike adjective
• under·cloth noun

Word History and Origins

Origin of cloth¹

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

Word History and Origins

Origin of cloth¹

Old English clāth; related to Old Frisian klēth, Middle High German kleit cloth, clothing

Idioms and Phrases

see out of whole cloth ; sackcloth and ashes .

Example Sentences

When you wear a mask – even a cloth mask – you typically are exposed to a lower dose of the coronavirus than if you didn’t.

From No Straight News

Surgical masks are not as protective as N95s, but they do shield the wearer from droplets and fluids better than the now ubiquitous cloth masks—3% to 25% better, depending on the study.

From MIT Technology Review

Although all trainees and staff were required to wear cloth masks, campers were not.

From Science News For Students

Many cloth masks you can buy today are made of simple cotton, but the World Health Organization recommends that non-medical fabric masks have three layers of fabric, each made of a different material to serve a different protective role.

From Quartz

In addition to paper, kirigami can reshape sheets of wood, cloth or metal.

From Science News For Students

Paper and cloth are cheap, what people are paying for is the story.

From The Daily Beast

The figure enters the elevator and is then seen quickly leaving the mall, black cloth flapping behind it.

From The Daily Beast

Waving a silk cloth, he declared, “Gentlemen, I will have this land just as surely as I now have this handkerchief.”

From The Daily Beast

No piece of cloth throughout history has sparked more controversy as the veil.

From The Daily Beast

Novelty aside, the real question is whether these avowedly chaste men of the cloth are listening.

From The Daily Beast

He thrust the Cardinal's mantle into it, and stood over the smouldering cloth, till the whole was consumed to ashes.

From Project Gutenberg

Her eyes were not nearly as soft as they had been, while she picked up the hanging folds of pink cloth, and went on.

From Project Gutenberg

Great had been her indignation at the want of respect shown to the Reverend John Dodd's cloth.

From Project Gutenberg

Ramona had covered the box with white cloth, and the lace altar-cloth thrown over it fell in folds to the floor.

From Project Gutenberg

Instead of a cloth, on each table was a sheet of fine glazed paper which had the appearance of oiled silk.

From Project Gutenberg

Related Words

• cotton
• goods
• material
• stuff