appliqué

1 of 2

noun

ap·​pli·​qué ˌa-plə-ˈkā How to pronounce appliqué (audio)
Synonyms of appliquénext
: a cutout decoration fastened to a larger piece of material

appliqué

2 of 2

verb

appliquéd; appliquéing

transitive verb

: to apply (something, such as a decoration or ornament) to a larger surface : overlay

Examples of appliqué in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
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Noun
Moretti is meant to be sleek and ominous, but his costumes look cheap—ill-fitting velvet suits with beaded appliques that seem more crafty than couture. — Madison Bloom, Pitchfork, 10 Mar. 2025

Word History

Etymology

Noun

borrowed from French, past participle of appliquer "to put on, apply," going back to Old French apliquier "to put to use, utilize in a certain way," borrowed from Latin applicāre "to bring into contact (with), situate near, bring to bear (on), make applicable or relevant (to)" — more at apply

Note: French appliqué is apparently not recorded with the specific sense of the English word in the eighteenth or nineteenth century; see discussion s.v. in the Oxford English Dictionary, third edition.

Verb

derivative of appliqué entry 1

First Known Use

Noun

1763, in the meaning defined above

Verb

1864, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of appliqué was in 1763

Browse Nearby Words

applied ornament
appliqué
appliquer
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Appliqué.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/appliqu%C3%A9. Accessed 26 Mar. 2025.

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Kids Definition

appliqué

1 of 2 noun
ap·​pli·​qué ˌap-lə-ˈkā How to pronounce appliqué (audio)
: a cutout decoration fastened to a larger piece of material

appliqué

2 of 2 verb
appliquéd; appliquéing
: to apply an appliqué to a larger surface

More from Merriam-Webster on appliqué

Thesaurus: All synonyms and antonyms for appliqué

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