tweed

¹ American  

[tweed] / twid /

noun

1. a coarse wool cloth in a variety of weaves and colors, either hand-spun and handwoven in Scotland or reproduced, often by machine, elsewhere.

2. tweeds, garments made of this cloth.

3. a paper having a rough surface, used especially for certain photographic prints.

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Tweed ² American  

[tweed] / twid /

noun

1. William Marcy Boss Tweed, 1823–78, U.S. politician.

2. a river flowing E from S Scotland along part of the NE boundary of England into the North Sea. 97 miles (156 km) long.

3. a male given name.

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tweed ¹ British  

/ twiːd /

noun

1. 1. a thick woollen often knobbly cloth produced originally in Scotland

   2. ( as modifier )

      a tweed coat

2. (plural) clothes made of this cloth, esp a man's or woman's suit

3. informal (plural) trousers

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Tweed ² British  

/ twiːd /

noun

1. a river in SE Scotland and NE England, flowing east and forming part of the border between Scotland and England, then crossing into England to enter the North Sea at Berwick. Length: 156 km (97 miles)

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Etymology

Origin of tweed

1835–45; apparently back formation from Scots tweedling twilling (now obsolete) < ?

Example Sentences

Across the aisle, a young man with shaggy hair and a tweed blazer noticed the book on my lap.

From The Wall Street Journal • Feb. 5, 2026

“He was wearing a tweed jacket and looked like a professor,” said Raskin, now at investigations firm Nardello & Co.

From The Wall Street Journal • Jan. 11, 2026

Costelloe often used traditional Irish fabrics and textiles in his designs, including Irish linen and tweed.

From BBC • Nov. 22, 2025

The King was in a kilt and tweed jacket while the Queen wore a blue coat with a tartan lapel and a red hat decorated with a feather.

From BBC • Apr. 13, 2025

Through its windows, I see a familiar figure, wearing the same tweed suit and hat as always.

From "How to Disappear Completely" by Ali Standish

Related Words

• cashmere
• fleece
• fur
• hair
• mohair
• yarn