tulle
noun
a thin, fine, machine-made net of acetate, nylon, rayon, or silk.
tulle
1 American
[tool, ty l]
/ tul, tül /
noun
Tulle
2
American
[tool, ty l]
/ tul, tül /
noun
tulle
British
/ tjuːl /
noun
Etymology
Origin of tulle
1810–20; < French, after Tulle, France, where first made
Explanation
Tulle is a type of fabric that's a stiff, fine netting and is often used to make gowns and wedding veils. Any dress for a formal occasion — a wedding, a bat mitzvah, a quinceañera — might have a tulle skirt. Tulle is most often made of manmade fibers like polyester or nylon, but it can also be made from silk. It comes in just about every color, and it's commonly used in wedding dresses and ballet tutus. The word tulle comes from the name of the French town where the fabric was originally made in 1817, Tulle.
Vocabulary lists containing tulle
On Trend: Fashionable Words
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The Distance Between Us
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Vocabulary from poems by Emily Dickinson
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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:
Soprano Gabriella Reyes brought both menace and comedy to Catrina, tossing off her coloratura laughter and rocking her costume of silvery bones painted on black and swathed in tulle.
From The Wall Street Journal ● May 18, 2026
While Elle, who hails from west Belfast, contrasted in a bubblegum pink dress with a tulle skirt and sparkly bodice.
From BBC ● Nov. 28, 2025
The tutu — it’s a tulle skirt, actually – was Field’s way of presenting an alternative to sweatpants.
From Salon ● Jun. 7, 2025
“I wanted it to have that feeling of glowing a little bit. I like tulle because light can pass through if it’s lit,” says Atwood.
From Los Angeles Times ● Dec. 24, 2024
They have layers of tulle and are propped up underneath with crinolines, and I worry about the hooks coming unfastened.
From "Cat's Eye" by Margaret Atwood
Tulle was used for complete looks as well as embellishment, along with lace, silks and hand embroidery.
From Reuters ● Feb. 13, 2023
Tony Lawson, her father, left the Tulle courtroom after hearing the claim.
From BBC ● Oct. 5, 2022
Tulle, as seen in her ballerina skirt at the U.S.
From Washington Post ● Aug. 29, 2022
Tulle mouth masks followed white plume boas representing plumes of smoke.
From Seattle Times ● Jul. 4, 2018
The foundation of the Sleeve is of Tulle or Brussels Net.
From Golden Stars in Tatting and Crochet by Éléonore Riego de la Branchardière
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.
