Pleat
/pliːt/noun
A fold or crease made in cloth or paper.
Did you know?The word is ultimately related to ancient roots meaning “to plait or weave,” so every pleat is literally a linguistic echo of making something by interlacing strands.
Etymological Timeline
Proto-Indo-European
PIE
*plek-
“to weave, plait, twine”
Proto-Germanic
PGmc
*plehtaną
“to plait, braid”
Old English
English
plǣtan
“to plait, fold, or braid”
Middle English
English
pleten
“to fold or plait cloth”
16th Century
English
pleat
“a fold in cloth, especially one made by doubling fabric back on itself”
Modern English
English
pleat
“a fold or crease made in cloth or paper”