thatch

¹ American  

[thach] / θætʃ /

noun

1. Also a material, as straw, rushes, leaves, or the like, used to cover roofs, grain stacks, etc.

2. a covering of such a material.

3. the leaves of various palms that are used for thatching.

4. something resembling thatch on a roof, especially thick hair covering the head.

   a thatch of unruly red hair.

5. Horticulture. a tightly bound layer of dead grass, including leaves, stems, and roots, that builds up on the soil surface at the base of the living grass of a lawn.

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verb (used with object)

1. to cover with or as if with thatch.

2. Horticulture. to remove thatch from (a lawn); dethatch.

Thatch ² American  

[thach] / θætʃ /

noun

1. Edward. Teach, Edward.

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thatch British  

/ θætʃ /

noun

1. 1. Also called: thatching.  a roofing material that consists of straw, reed, etc

   2. a roof made of such a material

2. anything resembling this, such as the hair of the head

3. Also called: thatch palm.  any of various palms with leaves suitable for thatching

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verb

1. to cover (a roof) with thatch

Other Word Forms

• rethatch verb (used with object)
• thatcher noun
• thatchless adjective
• thatchy adjective

Etymology

Origin of thatch

before 900; (v.) Middle English thacchen, variant (with a from thak > dial. thack ) of thecchen, Old English theccan to cover, hide; cognate with Dutch dekken ( see deck), German decken, Old Norse thekja; (noun) Middle English thacche, variant (with ch from the v.) of thak

Explanation

When straw or other dried grasses are used to cover a roof, it's called thatch. People have used thatch to keep the rain out for at least 300 years. Although dry grasses might not seem like the sturdiest roof, thatch is actually a rain-proof, insulating substance. These days it's most common to find thatched roofs in developing countries, but some people use it for a deliberately rustic look. If someone describes your hair as thatch, they mean it looks as dry, messy, and thick as the thatch used as a roofing material. The root of thatch means "to cover."

Example Sentences

Surrounded by floodwaters, their hamlet of thatch and mud homes had been battling a massive outbreak of cholera, a deadly disease spread by poor sanitation.

From Salon • Dec. 16, 2025

The frequent cutting also reduces thatch buildup and creates healthier, thicker grass, while minimizing the use of pesticides.

From The Wall Street Journal • Oct. 30, 2025

Possible ground settling and shifting, tree roots and thatch buildup can affect in-ground irrigation systems.

From Seattle Times • Mar. 13, 2024

A second pass occurs in the later, dry season to remove what’s known as thatch from the ground.

From Los Angeles Times • Oct. 13, 2023

Large families lived in small, crude lean-tos with dirt floors and roofs made of banana bark thatch, often patched with rags to stop leaks during the rainy season.

From "Mountains Beyond Mountains" by Tracy Kidder and Michael French

Related Words

• eyebrow
• fiber
• fur
• grass
• haircut
• hairstyle
• mane
• sideburn
• strand
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• wool