tablecloth
Americannoun
-
tablecloths
plural
noun
Other Word Forms
Noun Inflected Forms
Etymology
Origin of tablecloth
late Middle English word dating back to 1425–75; see origin at table, cloth
Explanation
That big piece of fabric you use to cover your kitchen table is a tablecloth. There's nothing like a tablecloth and a couple of candles to make an ordinary meal feel just a little bit fancy. People have used tablecloths for centuries, both as a decoration and to protect the table. The most common type is made from linen or cotton, but there's a nearly endless variety. History shows examples of embroidered, velvet, silk, and lace tablecloths. These days you'll also find waterproof, plastic-coated tablecloths. If you really want to impress your friends, you'll learn the famous magic trick that involves pulling a tablecloth off a table so fast you don't disturb the plates!
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:
A table with built-in grooves helps keep stemware steady and avoid spills on the tablecloth.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 4, 2026
From under the tablecloth, reporters heard someone yell out, “God bless America! USA!”
From Los Angeles Times ● Apr. 26, 2026
Her first tip is to use a waterproof runner underneath your favorite tablecloth, so your table stays protected from any spills and stains.
From Salon ● Nov. 18, 2025
There are 32 of the human thigh bones on each laminated white tablecloth.
From BBC ● May 7, 2025
I scrape the cheese off a sliver of potato—which will not kill me, potatoes rarely cause death—and shove it in my mouth and chew, chew, chew, smiling across the acres of tablecloth.
From "Wintergirls" by Laurie Halse Anderson
She picked up tables, taped down tablecloths and moved boxes to the side of the stage.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jun. 18, 2026
"Don't sit at home," said the entrepreneur, surrounded by embroidered dresses, scarves and tablecloths.
From Barron's ● Feb. 18, 2026
It shows up across the echelons of dining, from white tablecloths to vinyl booths.
From Salon ● Feb. 12, 2026
Holly, 34, from Reading, hunted in charity shops and vintage fairs for foil decorations, satin baubles, tablecloths and china.
From BBC ● Dec. 20, 2025
They sat at tables spread with crisp white linen tablecloths and gleaming silverware and crystal stemware and platters heaped with hot food.
From "The Boys in the Boat: Nine Americans and Their Epic Quest for Gold at the 1936 Berlin Olympics" by Daniel James Brown
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.
