crochet
Americannoun
verb (used with or without object)
verb
noun
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work made by crocheting
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architect another name for crocket
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zoology a hooklike structure of insect larvae that aids locomotion
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Inflected Forms
Nouns
Participles
Conjugated Forms
Present
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crochetsimple
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crochetssimple
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have crochetedperfect
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has crochetedperfect
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am crochetingprogressive
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are crochetingprogressive
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is crochetingprogressive
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have been crochetingperfect progressive
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has been crochetingperfect progressive
Past
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crochetedsimple
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had crochetedperfect
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was crochetingprogressive
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were crochetingprogressive
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had been crochetingperfect progressive
Future
Etymology
Origin of crochet
1840–50; < French: knitting needle, literally, small hook, diminutive of croche, croc < Middle English or Scandinavian. See crook 1, -et
Explanation
You can crochet by winding loops of yarn around a crochet hook, creating little knots that form patterns and — eventually — blankets, pillow covers, doilies, or hot pads. If your brother wants to make an afghan out of rainbow-colored yarn, he should learn how to crochet, or to make textiles by looping yarn with a special hook. Crocheting is similar to knitting, but people who crochet use a different tool. The word crochet comes from French and is therefore pronounced "crow shay." The root word is croc, or "hook."
Vocabulary lists containing crochet
Life As We Knew It
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English Words Derived from French, List 6
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Towers Falling
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Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
One crochet bag design may not be handmade, appearing for sale on Shein, a popular site for dropshippers, who are online retailers operating storefronts without keeping physical inventory.
From Barron's • Jun. 18, 2026
"That's why I try to take on a lot of different hobbies, because even if you're going through hard times, when you go into the world of crochet, all those fears are brushed away."
From BBC • Jun. 4, 2026
One wore a sleeveless crochet dress with geometric patterns, another a loud multicolored jacket.
From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 6, 2026
Earlier this fall, I decided to learn to crochet in earnest.
From Salon • Nov. 4, 2025
She was carrying a suitcase-sized pocketbook, from which protruded a pair of knitting needles, some mending, crochet hook, baby’s bottle, and copy of the Scientific American.
From "Cheaper by the Dozen" by Frank B. Gilbreth Jr. and Ernestine Gilbreth Carey
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Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.