homespun
Americanadjective
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having plain or unsophisticated character
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woven or spun at home
noun
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cloth made at home or made of yarn spun at home
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a cloth resembling this but made on a power loom
Etymology
Origin of homespun
Explanation
Something homespun has a simple, coarse feel, like your homespun plan to bring about world peace by giving everyone a daily spoonful of your aunt’s delicious strawberry jam. Homespun literally means spun at home. If you spin the wool from your sheep into yarn, and then make a dress out of it, it won’t be as fine or precise as fabric spun in a factory. Back in the day when large portions of the population couldn't afford milled cloth, homespun fabric marked you as poor, or just a farmer living off the land. Today we use homespun to describe anything that seems homemade, simple, or folksy, from homespun linens to homespun philosophies of life.
Vocabulary lists containing homespun
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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.
Despite his great wealth, Perot had a homespun approach and used the media very effectively.
From Salon ● Aug. 9, 2026
When Julie Masino became Cracker Barrel’s CEO in 2023, she arrived with plans to modernize a restaurant chain known for breakfast, meatloaf, rocking chairs and a homespun atmosphere.
From MarketWatch ● Jul. 28, 2026
Retaining that approachable, homespun persona while adhering to the sartorial conventions and expectations of Westminster will be a challenge for Burnham.
From BBC ● Jul. 19, 2026
Revere outfits the deserter with homespun clothes and collects the buttons from his uniform to melt down for silverwork.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jun. 19, 2026
Jonas smiled at her in admiration and affection, but his own clothing, even on Feast Night, was simple: a homespun shirt over coarse trousers.
From "Son" by Lois Lowry
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.
