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Synonyms

twill

1 American  
[twil] / twɪl /

noun

  1. a fabric constructed in twill weave.

  2. a garment, as a suit or trousers, of this fabric.

  3. twill weave.


verb (used with object)

  1. to weave in the manner of a twill.

  2. to weave in twill construction.

'twill 2 American  
[twil] / twɪl /
  1. a contraction of it will.


twill 1 British  
/ twɪl /

adjective

  1. (in textiles) of or designating a weave in which the weft yarns are worked around two or more warp yarns to produce an effect of parallel diagonal lines or ribs

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

noun

  1. any fabric so woven

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

verb

  1. (tr) to weave in this fashion

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012
'twill 2 British  
/ twɪl /

contraction

  1. it will

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Usage

See contraction.

Other Word Forms

  • untwilled adjective

Etymology

Origin of twill

1300–50; north and Scots variant of twilly (noun), Middle English twyle, Old English twilī ( c ), half translation, half adoption of Latin bilīc- (stem of bilīx ) having double thread. See twi-

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

Traditional denim is typically cotton woven diagonally in a twill, which makes it rough, said Steph Giri, who costumes dancers at the University of Utah and has never put one in jeans.

From The Wall Street Journal • Oct. 10, 2025

Reconstructed from excess items and materials from past seasons, the jacket features functional stone-shaped pockets outlined with broken twill.

From Los Angeles Times • Nov. 8, 2024

By the late 1990s, Barr was flying to Hong Kong to meet with agents who could broker canvas and twill sewing jobs in China.

From Seattle Times • Sep. 19, 2023

They’re made of tear-resistant nylon twill, which is helpful when you’re using that second zipper to squeeze your clothes into a small space.

From Washington Post • Oct. 27, 2021

Although in the end she had packed lightly, according to the children’s instructions, Penelope had insisted on tucking two books into the large pockets of her rugged twill safari skirt.

From "The Unseen Guest" by Maryrose Wood