foulard: meaning, definition, pronunciation and examples
LowFormal, specialized (fashion/textiles)
Quick answer
What does “foulard” mean?
A lightweight silk or silk-like fabric, often printed with a pattern.
Audio
Pronunciation
Definition
Meaning and Definition
A lightweight silk or silk-like fabric, often printed with a pattern.
A scarf, necktie, or handkerchief made from this fabric.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
No significant difference in meaning. The word is equally rare in both varieties.
Connotations
Connotes luxury, elegance, and a somewhat old-fashioned or niche fashion/textile context.
Frequency
Extremely low frequency in general usage. More likely encountered in historical texts, high-end fashion writing, or textile descriptions.
Grammar
How to Use “foulard” in a Sentence
[made] of foularda foulard [scarf]foulard [printed with flowers]Vocabulary
Collocations
Examples
Examples of “foulard” in a Sentence
adjective
British English
- She wore a foulard-print dress to the garden party.
American English
- He preferred a foulard-pattern necktie for the interview.
Usage
Meaning in Context
Business
Rare. Might appear in luxury goods marketing or textile import/export.
Academic
Rare. Possible in historical, fashion, or material culture studies.
Everyday
Very rare. Unlikely to be used in casual conversation.
Technical
Used in fashion design, textile manufacturing, and vintage clothing curation.
Watch out
Common Mistakes When Using “foulard”
- Mispronouncing as /faʊˈlɑːrd/ (like 'foul').
- Using it as a general term for any scarf.
- Spelling as 'foulard' (with an 'e').
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
No, it is a low-frequency word used primarily in specific contexts like fashion, textiles, or historical descriptions.
Yes, by extension it can refer to an item made from that fabric, most commonly a scarf, necktie, or handkerchief.
It is a loanword from French, of unknown ultimate origin.
In British English, stress the first syllable: /ˈfuːlɑːd/. In American English, stress is often on the second syllable: /fuˈlɑrd/, though first-syllable stress is also heard.
A lightweight silk or silk-like fabric, often printed with a pattern.
Foulard is usually formal, specialized (fashion/textiles) in register.
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “None”
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Think of a FOOL in LARD being too slippery to hold, just like a lightweight FOULARD scarf might slip through your fingers.
Conceptual Metaphor
LUXURY IS LIGHTNESS (the lightweight fabric signifies refined, non-bulky elegance).
Practice
Quiz
What is a 'foulard' primarily?