trapunto

[ truh-poon-toh ]

noun

, plural tra·pun·tos.

1. quilting having an embossed design produced by outlining the pattern with single stitches and then padding it with yarn or cotton.

trapunto

/ trəˈpʊntəʊ /

noun

1. a type of quilting that is only partly padded in a design

Word History and Origins

Origin of trapunto¹

1920–25; < Italian: embroidery, noun use of the adj.: embroidered, literally, pricked through (past participle of trapungere ), equivalent to tra- (< Latin trā-, variant of trāns- trans- ) + -punto < Latin pūnctus, equivalent to pung- (stem of pungere to prick) + -tus past participle suffix; puncture

Word History and Origins

Origin of trapunto¹

Italian, from trapungere to embroider, from pungere to prick (from Latin)

Example Sentences

“With her trapunto paintings, she’s essentially collapsing the boundaries between painting and quilting.”

From New York Times

The style is mainly in the details: pockets with zips slightly offset from one another, cuts that dip longer in the back, trapunto stitching at the neck and strategically placed loops for hanging ID tags.

From New York Times

If initially it seemed that Ms. Fendi could not be serious in suggesting that guys in the future will dress for the office in channel-quilted and down-stuffed dressing gowns or trapunto pajamas or thermal underwear that seems swiped from an Adult Baby catalog, it developed on second glance that she was.

From New York Times

She created trapunto on a silk corset and gartered gown of buff and ivory in an A-line silhouette, along with the front of a soft white silk crepe ballgown that had long sheer sleeves and Chantilly applique.

From Washington Times

On other gowns, Wang used the quilting style of trapunto.

From Washington Times