embroidery

American  

[em-broi-duh-ree, -dree] / ɛmˈbrɔɪ də ri, -dri /

noun

• embroideries
  plural

1. the art of working raised and ornamental designs in threads of silk, cotton, gold, silver, or other material, upon any woven fabric, leather, paper, etc., with a needle.

2. embroidered work or ornamentation.

3. elaboration or embellishment, as in telling a story.

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embroidery British  

/ ɪmˈbrɔɪdərɪ /

noun

1. decorative needlework done usually on loosely woven cloth or canvas, often being a picture or pattern

2. elaboration or exaggeration, esp in writing or reporting; embellishment

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Other Word Forms

Noun Inflected Forms

• embroideries
  plural

Etymology

Origin of embroidery

1350–1400; Middle English embrouderie needlework on cloth < Middle French embroud ( er ) + Middle English -erie -ery; oi from embroider

Compare meaning

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

• cross-stitch vs. embroidery

Explanation

Embroidery is the act of decorating a piece of cloth with a stitched design. You may have seen large medieval examples of embroidery hanging on the walls of museums depicting flowers and wild animals and the like. Embroidery also has a common figurative meaning of something deceptive, or an excessive and unnecessary detail designed to mislead, or simply something vain and foolish (see embellishment.) The great American designer Buckminster Fuller summed up this sense of the word nicely: "Tombs are the clothes of the dead and a grave is a plain suit; while an expensive monument is one with embroidery."

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

embroidery embroideries

From Monday, visitors will be offered an audio guide with more information about the embroidery, while additional signage and seating will be provided for those queuing to reach the main exhibition.

From BBC ● Oct. 4, 2026

However, the British Museum said the embroidery was "virtually unchanged" with thread breaks, measuring a few millimetres at most, not considered significant damage.

From Barron's ● Sep. 10, 2026

It will have a modern bohemian—or “boho”—aesthetic, and items are mostly made of natural fabrics like cotton and include more embroidery and pleating details, he said.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 23, 2026

In the middle of enthusing about a cross-stitch embroidery project, she says, “Don’t roll your eyes at me!”

From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 6, 2026

Pinmei continued to stare, the small figures like two stitches of embroidery thread on a vast tapestry.

From "When the Sea Turned to Silver" by Grace Lin

Then, there are rare Indo-Portuguese embroideries and some Haji Rumals - embroidered religious cloth once exported to Indonesia and parts of the Arab world as a headdress for men.

From BBC ● Mar. 29, 2025

I think it’s because, with the feel-me walls, the bend-’n-sniff tubes, the claymation-like animated embroideries, it seemed like a grown-up version of the children’s “discovery” gallery, but with much chicer clothes.

From New York Times ● May 9, 2024

Rodeo jackets shimmered with intricate embroideries, showcasing the luxurious craftsmanship synonymous with the LVMH-owned brand.

From Seattle Times ● Jan. 16, 2024

Famed mass placard displays in stadiums often feature wartime imagery, and foreign tourists can buy posters and embroideries of soldiers and partisans in Pyongyang.

From Washington Times ● Jul. 26, 2023

She too was dressed in an outfit similar to the man’s, except hers had a few cheap embroideries.

From "Kaffir Boy: An Autobiography" by Mark Mathabane

Related Words

• brocade
• decoration
• lace
• needlepoint
• quilting
• tapestry