burlap

noun

bur·​lap ˈbər-ˌlap 

1

: a coarse heavy plain-woven fabric usually of jute or hemp used for bagging and wrapping and in furniture and linoleum manufacture

2

: a lightweight material resembling burlap used in interior decoration or for clothing

Examples of burlap in a Sentence

The bag is made of burlap.

Recent Examples on the Web

If leaves have already appeared, cover the plant with burlap or a lightweight cotton towel. —Mary Marlowe Leverette, Southern Living, 27 Feb. 2025

Remove the burlap and other coverings when your plants start growing in spring. 5. —Lauren Landers, Better Homes & Gardens, 24 Jan. 2025

Install Barriers Many gardeners wrap cold-sensitive shrubs with burlap in fall to prevent winter damage. —Lauren Landers, Better Homes & Gardens, 24 Jan. 2025

Trees must be wrapped in burlap to catch larvae, which are then supposed to be drowned in soapy water or stuffed in the freezer — but the real solution is to simply wait for natural controls, like E. maimaiga, to fight them off, Dwyer explained. —Tribune News Service, Hartford Courant, 23 Jan. 2025

Word History

Etymology

origin unknown

First Known Use

circa 1696, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Rhymes for burlap

• bandgap
• bitmap
• blackcap
• blackstrap
• bootstrap
• claptrap
• entrap
• foolscap
• kidnap
• kneecap
• madcap
• mayhap

Kids Definition

burlap

noun

bur·​lap ˈbər-ˌlap 

: a rough fabric made usually from jute or hemp and used mostly for bags and wrappings