flannel
Flannel (noun) means a soft woven fabric, originally wool, now often cotton or a blend, used for warm shirts and bedding. Example: “He wore a flannel shirt for the cold hike.”
How to use flannel
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishA soft warm fabric (or a shirt made from it); in British English also a washcloth, and informally, evasive flattering talk.
In the US, "flannel" mainly means the fabric/shirt. In the UK, it can also mean a face washcloth or, informally, vague flattering talk meant to avoid a straight answer.
Word forms
flanneled past tense, flannelled past tense, flannels plural, flannels singular
Fill the gap
Can you complete this real example?
He wore a _____ shirt for the cold hike.
Etymology
From Anglo-Norman flanelle, ultimately traced back to a Celtic word for coarse wool.
Related words
Rhymes for flannel
See all rhymes for flannel →Frequently asked questions
What does “flannel” mean?
The word “flannel” means a soft woven fabric, originally wool, now often cotton or a blend, used for warm shirts and bedding. In plain terms, a soft warm fabric (or a shirt made from it); in British English also a washcloth, and informally, evasive flattering talk.
How do you pronounce “flannel”?
“Flannel” is pronounced FLA-nuhl (/ˈflænəl/ in IPA).
How do you use “flannel” in a sentence?
Here is “flannel” used in a sentence: “He wore a flannel shirt for the cold hike.”
What part of speech is “flannel”?
“Flannel” is a noun.
Where does the word “flannel” come from?
The word “flannel” comes from Anglo-Norman. From Anglo-Norman flanelle, ultimately traced back to a Celtic word for coarse wool.
Is “flannel” a common word?
“Flannel” is an uncommon word in modern English.
How many meanings does “flannel” have?
“Flannel” has 3 distinct senses listed in this dictionary. The most common is: a soft woven fabric, originally wool, now often cotton or a blend, used for warm shirts and bedding.