wreathe

[ reeth ]

/ rið /

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See synonyms for: wreathe / wreathed / wreathing on Thesaurus.com

verb (used with object), wreathed; wreathed or (Archaic) wreath·en; wreath·ing.

to encircle or adorn with or as with a wreath.

to form as a wreath by twisting or twining.

to surround in curving or curling masses or form.

to envelop: a face wreathed in smiles.

verb (used without object), wreathed; wreathed or (Archaic) wreath·en; wreath·ing.

to take the form of a wreath or wreaths.

to move in curving or curling masses, as smoke.

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Origin of wreathe

1520–30; earlier wrethe, partly v. use of wreath, partly back formation from wrethen, obsolete past participle of writhe

OTHER WORDS FROM wreathe

wreather, nounin·ter·wreathe, verb, in·ter·wreathed, in·ter·wreath·ing.

WORDS THAT MAY BE CONFUSED WITH wreathe

wraith, wreath, wreathe , writhe

Words nearby wreathe

wrathful, wrathy, wreak, wreak havoc, wreath, wreathe, wreathed column, wreathy, wreck, wreckage, wrecked

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

How to use wreathe in a sentence

There’s also a correlation between how quickly a star rotates and how much activity is in its corona, the shroud of plasma that wreathes the star.
These strange radio signals might not be coming from stars|Leto Sapunar|October 14, 2021|Popular-Science
As the band thrashed away in a flame-wreathed venue, concert attendees could be seen dancing and raising devil horns on screens surrounding the stage.
Why companies are using virtual concerts to introduce their users to the metaverse|Alexander Lee|September 21, 2021|Digiday
Then it happened — Harrington, wreathed in Druidic smoke, hoisted his guitar above his head and pickaxed his instrument into the guts of the 12-foot mirror, shattering it into oblivion.
Darkside returns to lay claim to the title of best psychedelic rock band in the world|Jeff Weiss|July 23, 2021|Washington Post
As I looked down the property’s main lawn, Opus 40 framed the majestic Overlook Mountain to the west, its peak wreathed in fog.
The Hudson Valley’s outdoor art parks make for an alluring pandemic destination|Nevin Martell|April 23, 2021|Washington Post

Ah, "fools and blind," you little know that you are making a garland of imperishable beauty to wreathe around His brow!
Expositor's Bible: The Gospel of Matthew|John Monro Gibson
Examples are wreath (with th as in think), but to wreathe (with th as in then); house, but to house (with s pronounced like z).
Language|Edward Sapir
Fifty paces below, a column of opal smoke had begun to wreathe and stretch a languid flag.
The Amazing Marriage, Complete|George Meredith
Taking out a little cigarette case, she lights a cigarette, and watches the puff's of smoke wreathe shout her and die away.
A Bit O' Love (Fourth Series Plays)|John Galsworthy
Most of such words are verbs, so distinguished from their cognate substantives, as wreathe from wreath.
Notes and Queries, Number 189, June 11, 1853|Various

British Dictionary definitions for wreathe

wreathe

/ (riːð) /

verb

to form into or take the form of a wreath by intertwining or twisting together

(tr) to decorate, crown, or encircle with wreaths

to move or cause to move in a twisting waysmoke wreathed up to the ceiling

Word Origin for wreathe

C16: perhaps back formation from wrēthen, from Old English writhen, past participle of wrīthan to writhe; see wreath

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

wreathe

Origin of wreathe

OTHER WORDS FROM wreathe

WORDS THAT MAY BE CONFUSED WITH wreathe

Words nearby wreathe

Words related to wreathe

How to use wreathe in a sentence

British Dictionary definitions for wreathe

Word Origin for wreathe