curtain

The word “curtain” means a hanging piece of fabric used to cover a window or separate spaces. In plain terms, fabric hung to cover a window or stage, or (as a verb) to hang or screen something off with fabric.

“Curtain” is pronounced KURTN (/ˈkɜɹt(ə)n/ in IPA).

Here is “curtain” used in a sentence: “She drew the curtains to block out the morning sun.”

Words with a similar meaning to “curtain” include becurtain.

Depending on how it is used, “curtain” can be a noun and a verb.

The word “curtain” comes from Late Latin. From Old French cortine, from Late Latin cortina, "curtain" — itself a loan-translation of a Greek word.

“Curtain” is a fairly common word in modern English, usually learned at around the B1 level.

“Curtain” has 3 distinct senses listed in this dictionary. The most common is: a hanging piece of fabric used to cover a window or separate spaces.

Curtain and drape both refer to hanging fabric used to cover a window, but drape often implies heavier, more formal fabric, especially in American English, while curtain is the more general term used across contexts.

A curtain is a hanging piece of fabric used to cover a window, while a blind is typically made of slats or a solid material that can be raised, lowered, or rotated to control light. Curtains are soft and fabric-based, whereas blinds are usually rigid or slatted.

In theater, curtain refers to the point at which a performance begins or ends, often marked by the literal raising or lowering of the stage curtain. Phrases like 'curtain time' or 'final curtain' use this sense.

To curtain a room means to fit it with curtains, or more broadly to conceal something as if hiding it behind a curtain. This verb use extends the noun's sense of covering or concealment.