wreath

American  

[reeth] / riθ /

noun

wreaths plural

1. a circular band of flowers, foliage, or any ornamental work, for adorning the head or for any decorative purpose; a garland or chaplet.

2. any ringlike, curving, or curling mass or formation.

   a wreath of clouds.

3. (in stair building)

   1. a curved section of a handrail.

   2. Also called wreathpiece.  a curved section of a string.

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verb (used with or without object)

1. to wreathe.

wreath British  

/ riːθ /

noun

1. a band of flowers or foliage intertwined into a ring, usually placed on a grave as a memorial or worn on the head as a garland or a mark of honour

2. any circular or spiral band or formation

3. a spiral or circular defect appearing in porcelain and glassware

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Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

• wreathless
  adjective
• wreathlike
  adjective

Inflected Forms

Nouns

• wreaths
  plural

Etymology

Origin of wreath

before 1000; Middle English wrethe, Old English writha something wound or coiled; akin to writhe

Explanation

Got a wreath on your front door? That's one of those ring-shaped bands of flowers or foliage that people use for decoration. Wreaths go back to ancient times and maybe the circular shape symbolizes the eternal. You can also wear a wreath. If you feel like dancing around the maypole or celebrating your Olympic victory, you might wear a wreath of spring flowers or laurels on your head. You might also want to remember someone who's passed away by placing a wreath on their grave. Wreaths don’t have to be green — you can carve gold or wood into a wreath or you can even have a mountain peak with a wreath of clouds around it.

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

wreath wreaths

He condemned "indifference" towards migrants and cast a wreath into the sea at the port of Arguineguin to honour the thousands who have died trying to reach the Canaries.

From Barron's ● Jun. 12, 2026

Charles and Camilla then visited Arlington National Cemetery just outside Washington, where they laid a wreath and flowers at the hilltop Tomb of the Unknown Soldier honoring America's unidentified war dead.

From Barron's ● Apr. 30, 2026

Princess Anne attended a dawn service where she laid a wreath against Wellington Arch during a memorial service that included a reading of the John McCrae poem In Flanders Fields.

From BBC ● Apr. 25, 2026

President Tinubu and Mrs Tinubu will lay a wreath of flowers on the tomb of the late Queen Elizabeth II, in St George's Chapel.

From BBC ● Mar. 17, 2026

“I have faith in you. I bet one day you’ll wear an olive wreath on your head, and people will cheer for you.”

From "Shouting at the Rain" by Lynda Mullaly Hunt

Demand has doubled in recent years, with customers buying his moss for hanging baskets in spring and Christmas wreaths in winter, as well as vivariums to keep geckos and iguanas happy all year round.

From BBC ● Mar. 8, 2026

"Thank you for your compassion and love towards everyone you cared for," read one placard, balanced among bouquets, wreaths and other tributes.

From Barron's ● Jan. 26, 2026

And the extras that people load up on when they are feeling flush, such as wreaths and garlands and baskets, haven’t been selling well at all.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Dec. 19, 2025

“People associate wreaths with the holiday, and this is a great way of modernizing something that is traditional,” Meghan explains.

From Salon ● Dec. 15, 2025

We pulled all the old Christmas decorations out of storage and placed them around the park—things like wreaths made of horseshoes and cowboy boots filled with fake poinsettias.

From "Insignificant Events in the Life of a Cactus" by Dusti Bowling

Related Words

• bouquet
• garland