plaid

[ plad ]

/ plæd /

SEE MORE SYNONYMS FOR plaid ON THESAURUS.COM

noun

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.

adjective

having the pattern of a plaid.

RELATED WORDS

tartan, variegated, checked

Nearby words

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. 2019

Examples from the Web for plaid

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 Anything|Soraya Roberts|November 13, 2014|DAILY BEAST
There are young rock chicks and rock-boys and arty-looking men and women, in plaid, denim, ripped and stretched cardigans.
The Cult of Blondie: Debbie Harry’s Very Special New York Picture Show|Tim Teeman|October 1, 2014|DAILY BEAST
Wearing a plaid shirt, the stocky singer looked like a bricklayer playing an open mic at a bar.
I'm Not Country or Pop. I'm Just Pure Garth Brooks.|David Masciotra|September 10, 2014|DAILY BEAST
In the back of a limo, wearing a plaid blazer, Quast raises his drink and says with a wink, “you stay classy, Iowa.”
7 WTF Campaign Ads You Can’t Unsee, From Castrators to Alligator Wrestlers|Olivia Nuzzi|May 19, 2014|DAILY BEAST

Harry kept his plaid shirt on and danced in the comforts of his own skybox.
Newly Single Harry Parties In Miami!|Tom Sykes|May 1, 2014|DAILY BEAST
In an instant La Louve, who had quickly flown at her lover's second command, returned wrapped in a plaid mantle.
The Mysteries of Paris, Volume 4 of 6|Eugne Sue
By the fire stood a little fellow of three years old, in plaid frock and trousers.
Jane Eyre|Charlotte Bronte
Here, too, there was no sign of the plaid ulster which now seemed to me to bear some relation to the mystery.
A Master Hand|Richard Dallas
I now raked out the fire and all the mortuary remains of insects, and then laid down a plaid thrice doubled for softness.
Round About the Carpathians|Andrew F. Crosse
I lost my Bible, my plaid, or my kercher at the field preachin'!'
The Men of the Moss-Hags|S. R. Crockett

British Dictionary definitions for plaid

plaid

/ (plæd, pleɪd) /

noun

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

Word Origin for plaid

C16: from Scottish Gaelic plaide, of obscure origin

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Word Origin and History for plaid

plaid

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.