embroidery

noun

em·​broi·​dery im-ˈbrȯi-d(ə-)rē How to pronounce embroidery (audio)
plural embroideries
1
a
: the art or process of forming decorative designs with hand or machine needlework
b
: a design or decoration formed by or as if by embroidery
c
: an object decorated with embroidery
2
: elaboration by use of decorative and often fictitious detail
3
: something pleasing or desirable but unimportant
considered the humanities mere educational embroidery

Examples of embroidery in a Sentence

She learned embroidery from her grandmother. His stories about his travels include a good deal of embroidery.
Recent Examples on the Web The Pioneer Woman refreshes the timeless cut in medium, dark, and black washes with a fun floral embroidery design on the back and five functional pockets. Wendy Vazquez, Southern Living, 7 Mar. 2024 The main highlight of the festival is the unfurling of the immense embroidery of Guru Rinpoche (Guru Throngdrel) on the final day where the eight manifestations of Guru Rinpoche are depicted. Judy Koutsky, Forbes, 23 Feb. 2024 This budget-friendly set from Amazon features oversized baby pink bows placed front and center on both both the bra and underwear, which are further detailed with embroidery and mesh. Alyssa Brascia, Peoplemag, 10 Feb. 2024 Nearby, an English language textbook, bits of broken furniture and a pillow with floral embroidery are jumbled together in one large pile. Ivana Kottasová, CNN, 10 Feb. 2024 Despite a single photo these days being enough to overfill a floppy disk, various industries—like embroidery, medical devices, avionics, and plastic molding—still rely on them. Jon Brodkin, Ars Technica, 30 Jan. 2024 Despite the negative headlines generated by the region’s fast-fashion industry, India has a rich history in the apparel trade, replete with fabric weaving, intricate embroidery, and hand-sewing. Aleks Cvetkovic, Robb Report, 2 Mar. 2024 The Kutch district is renowned for techniques in tie-dyeing, embroidery, quilt making and carpet weaving. Claudia Levens, Journal Sentinel, 26 Feb. 2024 This year, there will be more than 70 pieces — paintings, drawings, ceramics, embroidery, sculpture and more — from artists across the country. Jonathan Shikes, The Denver Post, 15 Feb. 2024

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'embroidery.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

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

Dictionary Entries Near embroidery

Cite this Entry

“Embroidery.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/embroidery. Accessed 19 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

embroidery

noun
em·​broi·​dery im-ˈbrȯid-(ə-)rē How to pronounce embroidery (audio)
plural embroideries
1
: the process or art of embroidering
2
: needlework done to decorate cloth

More from Merriam-Webster on embroidery

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!