Added 23 October 2026
pleat
/pliːt/ noun
noun Definition from Wiktionary (CC BY-SA). Pronunciation from Wiktionary, via Kaikki.org. More about pleat at Wordnik → Where our words come from →
- A fold in the fabric of a garment, usually a skirt, as a part of the design of the garment, with the purpose of adding controlled fullness and freedom of movement, or taking up excess fabric. There are many types of pleats, differing in their construction and appearance.
- A similar fold in a filter, lampshade, or various other products.
- A fold in an organ, usually a longitudinal fold in a long leaf such as that of palmetto, lending it stiffness.
verb
Origin
From Middle English, from a variant of plait, from Old French pleit. Doublet of plait.
From Wiktionary, via Kaikki.org (CC BY-SA)