coverlet

American  

[kuhv-er-lit] / ˈkʌv ər lɪt /

noun

1. Also coverlid a bed quilt that does not cover the pillow, used chiefly for warmth; bedspread.

2. Archaic. any covering covering or cover.

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coverlet British  

/ ˈkʌvəlɪt /

noun

1. another word for bedspread

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Etymology

Origin of coverlet

1250–1300; Middle English coverlite < Anglo-French cuver-lit bedspread, equivalent to cuver to cover + lit bed < Latin lectus; akin to lie ², lay ¹

Compare meaning

How does coverlet compare to similar and commonly confused words? Explore the most common comparisons:

• coverlet vs. bedspread

Example Sentences

There’s a scene with a delicate lace coverlet on a bed that I’m thinking of, where Cécile’s dad, played by Claes Bang, and Chloë are making a bed together.

From Los Angeles Times • May 7, 2025

The frayed edge of the quilted cotton coverlet is soft from 20 years of washing, and the air smells like the lavender lotion I just rubbed on my hands.

From Washington Post • Mar. 18, 2022

In front of an oversize mirror sits a dramatic chaise upholstered in a turn-of-the-century coverlet from Ms. Bode’s personal textile collection.

From New York Times • Feb. 12, 2022

I have: I once stress-purchased a yellow coverlet because I was dating someone new and concerned about my room looking put together.

From Slate • Mar. 8, 2019

Ba had let her think Ma’s coverlet was mine, but the pillow covering I had been working on was a mess of tangled strings.

From "The Red Car to Hollywood" by Jennie Liu