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wimple

noun
wim·​ple | \ ˈwim-pÉ™l How to pronounce wimple (audio) \

Definition of wimple

 (Entry 1 of 2)

1 : a cloth covering worn over the head and around the neck and chin especially by women in the late medieval period and by some nuns

2 Scotland

a : a crafty turn : twist
b : curve, bend

wimple

verb
wimpled; wimpling\ ˈwim-​p(É™-​)liÅ‹ How to pronounce wimpling (audio) \

Definition of wimple (Entry 2 of 2)

transitive verb

1 : to cover with or as if with a wimple : veil
2 : to cause to ripple

intransitive verb

1 archaic : to fall or lie in folds
2 chiefly Scotland : to follow a winding course : meander
3 : ripple

Illustration of wimple

Illustration of wimple

Noun

wimple 1

In the meaning defined above

Did You Know? Example Sentences Learn More about wimple

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Did You Know?

Verb

Wimple is the name of the covering worn over the head and around the neck and chin by women in the late medieval period, as well as by some modern nuns. Its name is akin to Old Saxon "wimpal" and Middle Dutch "wimpel," both of which mean "veil" or "banner." Like the word veil, "wimple" is also used as a verb meaning "cover" and was adopted by literary writers as a substitute for "ripple" and "meander," especially when writing about streams. "Over the little brook which wimpled along below towered an arch," James Russell Lowell once observed.

Examples of wimple in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web: Noun

 There were trains by the yard obstructing traffic, and a full complement of halos, wimples, tiaras and crowns. — Matthew Schneier, New York Times, "The Scene Inside the Met Gala," 8 May 2018

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'wimple.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

First Known Use of wimple

Noun

before the 12th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Verb

13th century, in the meaning defined at transitive sense 1

History and Etymology for wimple

Noun

Middle English wimpel, from Old English; perhaps akin to Old English wīpian to wipe

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More Definitions for wimple

wimple

noun
How to pronounce wimple (audio)

English Language Learners Definition of wimple

: a cloth worn over the head and around the neck and chin by women in past times and by some nuns today

See the full definition for wimple in the English Language Learners Dictionary

More from Merriam-Webster on wimple

Rhyming Dictionary: Words that rhyme with wimple

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about wimple

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