plaid
[plad]
- any fabric woven of differently colored yarns in a crossbarred pattern.
- a pattern of this kind.
- a long, rectangular piece of cloth, usually with such a pattern and worn across the left shoulder by Scottish Highlanders.
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- having the pattern of a plaid.
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Origin of plaid
1505–15; < Scots Gaelic plaide blanket, plaid (def 3)
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2018
Examples from the Web for plaid
Contemporary Examples
Based on his sock puppet, I expected him to be a burly bearded giant clad in plaid—basically, a Canadian Paul Bunyan.
Canada’s Subversive Sock Puppet: Ed the Sock Isn’t Afraid to Say AnythingSoraya Roberts
November 13, 2014
There are young rock chicks and rock-boys and arty-looking men and women, in plaid, denim, ripped and stretched cardigans.
Wearing a plaid shirt, the stocky singer looked like a bricklayer playing an open mic at a bar.
In the back of a limo, wearing a plaid blazer, Quast raises his drink and says with a wink, “you stay classy, Iowa.”
Harry kept his plaid shirt on and danced in the comforts of his own skybox.
Historical Examples
It was the plaid belonging to Stella Hardy, who had died in her teens.
Tiverton TalesAlice Brown
She had on a plaid shawl of purple, green, and red checkers, crossed on her bosom.
Southern Lights and ShadowsVarious
In gorgeous tweeds and a shepherd's plaid cap he looked the part.
Kent Knowles: QuahaugJoseph C. Lincoln
Out flashed the lantern from beneath his plaid and he held it up to the window.
Gilian The DreamerNeil Munro
She snipped her threads and drew the plaid skirt from under the needle.
Mary Rose of MifflinFrances R. Sterrett
plaid
- a long piece of cloth of a tartan pattern, worn over the shoulder as part of Highland costume
- a crisscross weave or cloth
- (as modifier)a plaid scarf
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Word Origin
C16: from Scottish Gaelic plaide, of obscure origin
Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition
© William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins
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Word Origin and History for plaid
n.
1510s, from Scottish, from or related to Gaelic plaide "blanket, mantle," of unknown origin, perhaps a contraction of peallaid "sheepskin," from peall "skin," from Latin pellis (but OED finds this "phonetically improbable"). The wearing of it by males forbidden by act of parliament, under penalty of transportation, 1746-82. As an adjective c.1600, from the noun.
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Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2010 Douglas Harper