Skip to the word

Added 9 October 2026

burl

/bɝl/ noun

Latin root: burra Wiktionary

noun Definition from WordNet 3.1, Princeton University. Pronunciation from Wiktionary, via Kaikki.org. More about burl at Wordnik → Where our words come from →

The wood cut from a tree burl or outgrowth; often used decoratively in veneer.
A large rounded outgrowth on the trunk or branch of a tree.
Soft lump or unevenness in a yarn; either an imperfection or created by design.

verb

Remove the burls from cloth.

Origin

From Middle English burle (“a knot or flaw in cloth”), from Old French bourle (“flocks or ends of threads which disfigure cloth”), diminutive of Old French bourre, from Medieval Latin burra (“flock of wool, coarse hair”).

From Wiktionary, via Kaikki.org (CC BY-SA)

Back to today's word