a soft woolen fabric woven with a pattern of colorful and minutely detailed figures.
a shawl, scarf, tie, or other article made of this fabric.
a silk print simulating this fabric and weave.
Also called paisley print. a pattern resembling the design or figure on this fabric or material.
made of paisley.
a paisley shawl.
having the pattern of a paisley.
a pattern of small curving shapes with intricate detailing, usually printed in bright colours
a soft fine wool fabric traditionally printed with this pattern
a garment made of this fabric, esp a shawl popular in the late 19th century
(modifier) of or decorated with this pattern
a paisley scarf
Bob. 1919–96, English footballer and manager: played for Liverpool (1939–54); under his management (1974–83) Liverpool won six English titles and the European Cup three times (1977, 1978, 1981)
Ian ( Richard Kyle ) Baron. born 1926, Northern Ireland politician and Presbyterian minister; cofounder (1972) and leader of the Ulster Democratic Unionist Party, First Minister of Northern Ireland from 2007 to 2008
First recorded in 1825–35; named after Paisley
If your favorite scarf is printed with a pattern consisting of shapes that look like drops of water, you are a fan of paisley and its swirly curves and colors. This Scottish toponym, or place name, (from the town of Paisley, in Renfrewshire) denotes a fabric design that was massively manufactured there in the 19th century. A paisley design itself is Middle Eastern in origin though, having traveled to Europe in the colonial period and become so popular that import could not meet demand.
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Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
The ancient Persian paisley motif has long been a symbol for strength and fertility, and a brushed Zen circle filling one panel represents inner peace while doubling as a planetary emblem.
From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 29, 2024
Further investigation uncovered a full skeleton with a faded, paisley dress and pointed heels.
From New York Times ● May 16, 2024
One minute, Ben-Adir would be prancing around to I'm Just Ken, the next he'd be hunched over in his paisley shirt, studying the cadences of Redemption Song.
From BBC ● Jan. 25, 2024
The set is a faithful recreation of Bob Marley & The Wailers' Exodus tour, filled with extras in paisley shirts, bell-bottom flares and false moustaches.
From BBC ● Jan. 25, 2024
I sat down on the bed expecting him to join me, but he hunkered down in the dusty paisley chair.
From "The Fault in Our Stars" by John Green
Sentencing him at Paisley Sheriff Court, Sheriff Gillian Craig said a five-year prison sentence would be followed by three years of supervision after his release.
From BBC ● Jul. 24, 2026
Paisley described her as a "victim" in a text to another politician during the DUP leadership contest between Donaldson and Poots in 2021.
From BBC ● Jun. 29, 2026
“Gold was on a tear in January and it’s down a lot since because it’s being viewed as more of a risky asset,” said Paisley Nardini, head of multi-asset solutions at Simplify Asset Management.
From Barron's ● Jun. 24, 2026
A Nashville division begun in 1988 boasted a country lineup of stars including Alan Jackson, Brooks & Dunn and Brad Paisley.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jun. 22, 2026
If Jerome Paisley heard the threat, he chose not to acknowledge it.
From "Small Steps" by Louis Sachar
One particularly vibrant example from the Caucasus has a pattern of stylized, almost hexagonal paisleys in an array of colors.
From Washington Post ● Mar. 28, 2023
The theatre had the grandeur of a cathedral: blood-red velvet curtains framed the stage; golden ceilings, patterned with blue-and-purple paisleys, soared over vaudeville-era balconies and plush seats.
From The New Yorker ● Jan. 8, 2017
As textile technology sped up, richer medallions of paisleys were worked into the shawls’ centers, then corners, and finally consumed the entire shawl.
From Slate ● Oct. 20, 2015
And if mistakes become a style, the broad ties, cheap tuxedo shirts, miasmic paisleys and mutton-chopped chauvinism of S.C.
From New York Times ● Apr. 5, 2015
Two enormous paisleys have been painted in red and white on her cheeks.
From "The Namesake" by Jhumpa Lahiri
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.
