tablecloth
Americannoun
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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:
“I said, ‘I have to ask you, Mrs., this is a once-in-a-lifetime moment for me, serving your bird on a white tablecloth with Christofle china.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 23, 2026
They watched as excited fans flooded the city and poured into the grounds: the red and green of Portugal and tablecloth checks of Croatia.
From BBC ● Jul. 6, 2026
A table with built-in grooves helps keep stemware steady and avoid spills on the tablecloth.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 4, 2026
“Dark restaurants, candlelight, tablecloth restaurants, Sinatra music, that whole vibe of the ‘Italian restaurant’ lends itself well to romance, and spaghetti and meatballs just happen to be the most iconic ‘Italian’ dish.”
From Salon ● Feb. 14, 2026
Nana’s special lace tablecloth is on the dining room table, the one you spilled gravy all over when you were my age.
From "P.S. I Miss You" by Jen Petro-Roy
"Don't sit at home," said the entrepreneur, surrounded by embroidered dresses, scarves and tablecloths.
From Barron's ● Feb. 18, 2026
There’s a market in Lagoa da Conceição where you can find women making incredible hand-crocheted pieces—dresses, bags, tablecloths, everything.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Nov. 6, 2025
And it’s only possible underground, in a place where the apocalypse hasn’t dirtied the tablecloths.
From Salon ● May 12, 2025
The stage was set up in a large room with tables covered by red-checkered tablecloths.
From Los Angeles Times ● Nov. 7, 2024
The way we did it, you had different table settings for every meal, different tablecloths, different dishes, forks, spoons, knives, everything.
From "The Color of Water: A Black Man's Tribute to His White Mother" by James McBride
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.
