shawl
Americannoun
-
shawls
plural
noun
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Inflected Forms
Nouns
Etymology
Origin of shawl
First recorded in 1655–65, shawl is from the Persian word shāl
Explanation
A shawl is a wide scarf that's worn across the shoulders. If you're attending a fancy party on a cold night, you might wear a soft shawl over your dress. The word shawl comes from Persian, and is most likely rooted in Sanskrit. This garment first appeared in South Asia, and different regions have varied styles of traditional shawls. Any wide, square piece of fabric that you use to keep warm, cover your head, or even wrap a baby in can be called a shawl.
Vocabulary lists containing shawl
Selection Vocabulary 1, Unit 3
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Zara's Rules for Record-Breaking Fun
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Just Right Jillian
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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.
See Examples For:
The Ava Gardner of 1987, in her knitted shawl and high-bridge spectacles, seems to carry no sense of mystery.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Apr. 17, 2026
But several wore a red hat, scarf or shawl, recalling the designer's signature colour.
From Barron's ● Jan. 23, 2026
Each dress came accompanied by a matching shawl that Ross would eventually toss to the stage to be retrieved by a waiting assistant who seemed to know precisely when it would happen.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 26, 2025
Yet the backlash feels a lot worse this time, says Shafi Subhan, a shawl seller from the region's Kupwara district, who also worked in Mussoorie.
From BBC ● May 2, 2025
“It wasn’t a spiderweb. It was a hand-knit lace shawl made out of silk and cashmere.”
From "Bye Forever, I Guess" by Jodi Meadows
Another, Ben Brierley, enlisted his family in making shawls.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Nov. 28, 2025
Other racks hold the matching skirts and pants as well as stylized denim shawls and double-breasted, patchwork coats she made for special occasions.
From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 3, 2025
For his buyers, the shawls are a sign of luxury.
From BBC ● May 2, 2025
Shabir Ahmad Dar, a resident of Indian-administered Kashmir, has been selling pashmina shawls for more than 20 years.
From BBC ● May 2, 2025
Every time he mentions it, Carla can see a shiver go through Tía's body like when there's a draft up at the house in the mountains and all the aunts wear pretty shawls.
From "How the García Girls Lost Their Accents" by Julia Alvarez
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.
