What does "quilt" mean?
A bed covering consisting of two layers of fabric stitched together, with insulation between, often having a decorative design.
Quilt
/kwɪlt/ noun, verb, slang
noun, verb, slang ·Common ·High school level
Meaning at a glance
- Primary sense: A bed covering consisting of two layers of fabric stitched together, with insulation between, often having a decorative design.
- Grammar: quilt is listed as noun, verb, slang.
- Nearest alternatives: afghan, applique, baste, bed linen.
- Useful contrasts: uncover, unpick, unsew.
- Usage evidence: That quilt is really quite a piece of work with all its fine craftsmanship.
How to use "quilt"
- Start with the primary definition, then check the part of speech before placing the word in a sentence.
- Compare nearby synonyms to make sure "quilt" carries the exact meaning, tone, and strength you need.
- Use the example sentence as a context check. If your sentence uses the word differently, confirm that the grammar still fits.
Meaning check
- Does the word fit the sentence's grammar?
- Does it match the intended tone rather than only the dictionary definition?
- Would a simpler synonym be clearer for the reader?
- Is there enough surrounding context to prevent ambiguity?
Source and review context
This entry combines structured lexical data with WordToolSet review checks. Definitions, examples, synonyms, and usage notes may come from different source tables, so the page is designed to show evidence from more than one angle before you rely on "quilt" in a final draft.
If a word has several senses, prefer the sense that matches your sentence's grammar and surrounding context. A correct definition can still be the wrong choice when the sentence needs a different register, emphasis, or level of specificity.
Before you rely on this definition
Read the first definition as a starting point, then check the example, synonyms, and part of speech before treating "quilt" as the right word for your sentence.
If your draft is formal, technical, persuasive, or sensitive, compare "quilt" with a nearby alternative so the final choice matches both meaning and reader expectation.
Compare nearby meanings
- Use synonyms when you need a softer, stronger, simpler, or more specific word.
- Use antonyms to check the boundary of the meaning and avoid accidental contrast.
- Use the example sentence to confirm the word behaves naturally in context.
- Keep the original wording when a replacement adds complexity without improving precision.
Definition decision workflow
1. Identify the role
Check whether "quilt" is acting as noun, verb, slang in your sentence. A definition is only useful when the grammar matches the way the word is being used.
2. Test the nearest option
Compare it with "afghan" and other nearby choices to see whether the sentence needs a softer, stronger, or more familiar word.
3. Confirm with context
Use the example sentence below as an evidence check, then read your own sentence out loud to catch tone or rhythm problems.
Review note: Definition pages are checked for source coverage, sentence evidence, synonym support, and editorial insight before they are treated as approval-ready pages. If the evidence is too thin, the page remains available to users but is kept out of the approval-facing indexed inventory.
Final meaning check
Before publishing a sentence with "quilt", ask whether the word helps the reader understand the idea faster. A precise word should reduce confusion, not simply make the sentence look more polished.
When the definition, synonym evidence, and example context point in the same direction, the word is usually a safer choice. When they conflict, revise the sentence or choose a clearer alternative.
Definitions
Noun
- 1 A bed covering consisting of two layers of fabric stitched together, with insulation between, often having a decorative design.
"My grandmother is going to sew a quilt."
- 2 bedding made of two layers of cloth filled with stuffing and stitched together wordnet
- 3 A roll of material with sound-absorbing properties, used in soundproofing.
- 4 A quilted skirt worn by women.
- 5 Something composed of a variety of stitched-together parts; a patchwork. figuratively
"Her humor was as bawdy as ever, and evenly placed throughout. Early on […] she alternated alternated jokes and stanzas, providing a wonderful quilt of her musical and story-telling talents."
Verb
- 1 To construct a quilt.
- 2 create by stitching together wordnet
- 3 To construct something, such as clothing, using the same technique.
"Get up, get up for shame, the blooming morne / Upon her wings presents the god unshorne. / See how Aurora throwes her faire / Fresh-quilted colours through the aire; / Get up, sweet slug-a-bed, and see / The dew bespangling herbe and tree."
- 4 stitch or sew together wordnet
- 5 To beat or thrash. UK, obsolete, slang
"I am glad, said Mr. Slick, that cussed critter, that schoolmaster, hasn't yet woke up. I'm most afeerd if he had aturned out afore we started, I should have quilted him, for that talk of his last night sticks in my crop considerable hard."
Synonyms
All synonymsExample
"That quilt is really quite a piece of work with all its fine craftsmanship."
Common questions
What is a synonym for "quilt"?
Common synonyms include: afghan, applique, baste, bed linen, bedclothes, bedcover.
How do you use "quilt" in a sentence?
That quilt is really quite a piece of work with all its fine craftsmanship.
How do you pronounce "quilt"?
Pronounced /kwɪlt/.
Etymology
From Middle English quilte, quylte, from Anglo-Norman quilte and Old French coilte, cuilte (compare French couette), from Latin culcita. Doublet of quoit.