oilcloth

noun

oil·​cloth ˈȯi(-ə)l-ˌklȯth How to pronounce oilcloth (audio)
: cloth treated with oil or paint and used for table and shelf coverings

Examples of oilcloth in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
These examples are automatically compiled from online sources to illustrate current usage. Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Huang said the red voluminous Chen Peng look, on display on the ground floor among luxury accessories, came with an oilcloth bead embroidered hat decoration that uses national intangible cultural heritage technology, where natural waterproof tung oil is applied to the fabric. Tianwei Zhang, WWD, 3 Oct. 2024 Passover Matzo Throw Pillow $40 $34 Zazzle Start with your tablecloth: Seder can be a slightly messy affair (at one point, we’re instructed to dip our fingers into wine and remove several drops), so something dark or with a pattern is best and oilcloth is a good pick for a kid’s table. Devra Ferst, Bon Appétit, 11 Apr. 2024 There were rolls of oilcloth to make table covers, spools of ribbons and bows to lend flair to gifts, fleece for blankets, foam for cushions, a spectrum of threads and rainbows of yarn. John Carlisle, Detroit Free Press, 25 Feb. 2024 Miller, who eventually won a Pulitzer Prize for his series of interviews with the doomed man, found Collins’ face covered by a small piece of oilcloth. Eliza McGraw, Smithsonian Magazine, 25 July 2023 Across the city, people stashed family heirlooms in cellars and buried them wrapped in oilcloth. New York Times, 17 Mar. 2020 The opening dining area features small tables sporting red-and-white-stripe oilcloth settings, a nostalgic detail from Cardoz’s childhood spent eating out with friends and family in Mumbai. Noor Brara, Vogue, 27 Feb. 2018

Word History

First Known Use

1796, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of oilcloth was in 1796

Dictionary Entries Near oilcloth

Cite this Entry

“Oilcloth.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/oilcloth. Accessed 18 Nov. 2024.

Kids Definition

oilcloth

noun
oil·​cloth ˈȯi(ə)l-ˌklȯth How to pronounce oilcloth (audio)
: cloth treated with oil or paint so as to be waterproof and used for table and shelf coverings

More from Merriam-Webster on oilcloth

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!