Dictionary.com
Thesaurus.com
Synonyms

polka dot

American  
[poh-kuh] / ˈpoʊ kə /

noun

Textiles.
polka dots plural
  1. a dot or round spot (printed, woven, or embroidered) repeated to form a pattern on a textile fabric.

  2. a pattern of or a fabric with such dots.


polka dot British  

noun

  1. one of a pattern of small circular regularly spaced spots on a fabric

    1. a fabric or pattern with such spots

    2. ( as modifier )

      a polka-dot dress

"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

Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

Inflected Forms

Nouns

Etymology

Origin of polka dot

An Americanism dating back to 1880–85

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.

Wayne would swagger into town to shoot flicks like “Blue Steel,” a 1934 western starring The Duke as a U.S. marshal who pursues a baddie named the Polka Dot Bandit.

From Los Angeles Times • Sep. 26, 2025

Since then, “Itsy Bitsy Teenie Weenie Yellow Polka Dot Bikini” has become a pop-culture staple, frequently appearing in films and TV commercials through the decades.

From Washington Post • Jun. 3, 2022

Other crypto and digital investment products such as Ripple and Polka Dot, however, did show minor inflows for the week.

From Reuters • Aug. 2, 2021

Polka Dot Images At the end of Christmas morning, many holiday revelers found themselves sitting cross-legged in the center of an enormous pile of wrapping paper and empty cardboard boxes.

From Slate • Dec. 27, 2012

Old Polka Dot was a firm man, with double teeth all around, and his prowess got into the personal columns of the papers every little while.

From A Guest at the Ludlow and Other Stories by Edgar Wilson

Vocabulary.com logo
by dictionary.com

Look it up. Learn it forever.

Remember "polka dot" for good with VocabTrainer. Expand your vocabulary effortlessly with personalized learning tools that adapt to your goals.

Take me to Vocabulary.com