wreath

American  

[reeth] / riθ /

noun

plural

wreaths

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

• wreathless adjective
• wreathlike adjective

Etymology

Origin of wreath

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

Example Sentences

She has made little cats, wreaths and ashtrays.

From The Wall Street Journal

A Manchester United scarf also adorned his coffin, which was next to a wreath bearing the affectionate Mancunian term: "R kid".

From BBC

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

Israeli and Australian flags hung on the closed gates of the pavilion, as hundreds of people gathered to lay wreaths, bouquets, candles and pebbles from the beach.

From BBC

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

From Salon

Related Words

• bouquet
• garland