pleat

1 of 2

verb

ˈplēt How to pronounce pleat (audio)
pleated; pleating; pleats
Synonyms of pleatnext

transitive verb

1
: fold
especially : to arrange in pleats
pleat a skirt
2
: plait sense 2
pleater noun

pleat

2 of 2

noun

: a fold in cloth made by doubling material over on itself
also : something resembling such a fold
pleatless
ˈplēt-ləs How to pronounce pleat (audio)
adjective

Synonyms of pleat

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Verb

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Examples of pleat in a Sentence

Verb pleat ribbons Noun Her skirt has pleats at the waist.
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Verb
Peep those bows on the front, as well as the shirring and pleating throughout. — Stacia Datskovska, Footwear News, 22 June 2026 Working one at a time, brush border of rounds with 1 large egg, beaten to blend, then fold and pleat dough up and over itself, right up to edges of filling, gently pressing to adhere. — Rebecca Firkser, Bon Appetit Magazine, 1 June 2026
Noun
My top picks include classic styles like tees and button-up shirts, as well as dressier blouses with polished details like ruching and pleats. — Isabel Garcia, PEOPLE, 1 July 2026 In addition to changing the lighting and painting the walls, Miranda-Martin prioritized the window treatments, with pinch pleat curtains from Ikea. — Marissa Gluck, Los Angeles Times, 26 June 2026 See All Example Sentences for pleat

Word History

Etymology

Verb

Middle English pleiten, derivative of playte, pleit pleat entry 2

Noun

Middle English playte, pleit, plite, pliȝt "fold, fold in cloth made by doubling over material, wrinkle, braid, strand in a braided cord, unit of measure for cloth," borrowed from Anglo-French pleit, plet, plite, playe "fold, bend, unit of cloth, knot, twist," going back to Vulgar Latin *plictum "something folded," noun derivative from neuter of Latin plictus, variant of plicātus, past participle of plicāre "to fold, bend" — more at ply entry 3

Note: The form plictus is apparently attested as a variant of plicātus in manuscripts of Seneca's letters (see Oxford Latin Dictionary and note at explicit). — The Middle English word shows many spellings and has given rise to markedly diverse outcomes in Modern English. The modern form pleat /plit/ would appear to be a regular development of the French diphthongal spelling pleit (compare Anglo-French pais, peis "peace," fait "feat," etc.). The spelling plait entry 1, if pronounced /pleɪt/, either retains the diphthong (until merger with /ɛ:/ from Middle English long a) or represents some other alteration. If pronounced /plæt/, the word is in effect a spelling variant of plat entry 2, a noun derivative of plat entry 1. In addition, there is plet, going back to later Middle English plet, plette, which the Oxford English Dictionary, third edition, characterizes as now "chiefly Scottish and Irish English"; it may result from shortening of the form with /ɛ:/ that gave rise to pleat.

First Known Use

Verb

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Noun

15th century, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of pleat was in the 14th century

Phrases Containing pleat

Rhymes for pleat

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Browse Nearby Words

pleasurist
pleat
pleater
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Cite this Entry

“Pleat.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/pleat. Accessed 5 Jul. 2026.

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Kids Definition

pleat

1 of 2 verb
ˈplēt How to pronounce pleat (audio)
1
: to fold or arrange in pleats
pleat a skirt
2
: braid entry 1 sense 1
pleater noun

pleat

2 of 2 noun
: a fold (as in cloth) made by doubling material over on itself

More from Merriam-Webster on pleat

Nglish: Translation of pleat for Spanish Speakers

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