Dictionary

embroider en · VERB

Pronunciation

• (US) audio
• /ɪmˈbɹɔɪdə/ (Received-Pronunciation)
• /ɪmˈbɹɔɪdɚ/ (General-American)

Etymology

From Middle English embrouderen, frequentative of embrouden (“to decorate, embroider”), equivalent to embroid + -er. Middle English embrouden itself comes from Anglo-Norman embrouder, from Old French embrosder (“to embroider”), ultimately of Germanic origin, though the exact pathway is uncertain. Possibly an intensive of Old French brosder, brouder (compare Norman broudaïr), from Gothic *𐌱𐍂𐌿𐌶𐌳𐍉𐌽 (*bruzdōn), related to English bristle and brad. Alternatively, perhaps from Frankish *anbroʀdōn (“to embroider, stitch”), related to Old High German anabrortōn (“to embroider”), Old English onbryrdan (“to prick, incite”).

Meanings

1. To stitch a decorative design on fabric with needle and thread of various colours.
2. (figuratively) To add imaginary detail to a narrative to make it more interesting or acceptable.

Forms

Deriveds

embroidery · overembroider · embroideress · reembroider · embroiderer

Translations (73)

fi koruommella (to stitch a decorative design on fabric with needle and thread) · ru вы́шить (to stitch a decorative design on fabric with needle and thread) · pt bordar (to stitch a decorative design on fabric with needle and thread) · fi kirjoa (to stitch a decorative design on fabric with needle and thread) · da brodere (to stitch a decorative design on fabric with needle and thread) · hy ասեղնագործել (to stitch a decorative design on fabric with needle and thread) · mi tāniko (to stitch a decorative design on fabric with needle and thread) · arz زركش (to stitch a decorative design on fabric with needle and thread) · pl haftować (to stitch a decorative design on fabric with needle and thread) · el κεντάω (to add imaginary detail to a narrative) · fur strapongi (to stitch a decorative design on fabric with needle and thread) · ru приукра́шивать (to add imaginary detail to a narrative) · lij recamâ (to stitch a decorative design on fabric with needle and thread) · la acū pingo (to stitch a decorative design on fabric with needle and thread) · gl bordar (to stitch a decorative design on fabric with needle and thread) · is baldýra (to stitch a decorative design on fabric with needle and thread) · mn хатгамал хийх (to stitch a decorative design on fabric with needle and thread) · eo brodi (to stitch a decorative design on fabric with needle and thread) · de sticken (to stitch a decorative design on fabric with needle and thread) · be вы́гафтаваць (to stitch a decorative design on fabric with needle and thread) · cmn 刺繡 /刺绣 (to stitch a decorative design on fabric with needle and thread) · fi värittää (to add imaginary detail to a narrative) · izh mišuroittaa (to stitch a decorative design on fabric with needle and thread) · it ricamare (to add imaginary detail to a narrative) · ru приукра́сить (to add imaginary detail to a narrative) · it indorare (to add imaginary detail to a narrative) · nl aandikken (to add imaginary detail to a narrative) · it ricamare (to stitch a decorative design on fabric with needle and thread) · be гафтаваць (to stitch a decorative design on fabric with needle and thread) · pt florear (to add imaginary detail to a narrative) · mn хачирлах (to add imaginary detail to a narrative) · it abbellire (to add imaginary detail to a narrative) · io brodar (to stitch a decorative design on fabric with needle and thread) · ga bróidnigh (to stitch a decorative design on fabric with needle and thread) · nl borduren (to stitch a decorative design on fabric with needle and thread) · mn ᠬᠠᠳᠬᠤᠮᠠᠯ ᠬᠢᠬᠦ (to stitch a decorative design on fabric with needle and thread) · es bordar (to stitch a decorative design on fabric with needle and thread) · pl podkolorowywać (to add imaginary detail to a narrative) · is bródera (to stitch a decorative design on fabric with needle and thread) · ga spruigeáil (to stitch a decorative design on fabric with needle and thread) · pl koloryzować (to add imaginary detail to a narrative) · tr nakış işlemek (to stitch a decorative design on fabric with needle and thread) · de ausschmücken (to add imaginary detail to a narrative) · sv brodera (to stitch a decorative design on fabric with needle and thread) · bg бродирам (to stitch a decorative design on fabric with needle and thread) · mn ᠬᠠᠴᠢᠷᠯᠠᠬᠤ (to add imaginary detail to a narrative) · yi העפֿטן (to stitch a decorative design on fabric with needle and thread) · lv izšūt (to stitch a decorative design on fabric with needle and thread) · pl podkolorować (to add imaginary detail to a narrative) · lt išsiuvinėti (to stitch a decorative design on fabric with needle and thread) · fr broder (to add imaginary detail to a narrative) · hu hímez (to stitch a decorative design on fabric with needle and thread) · ja 刺繍する (to stitch a decorative design on fabric with needle and thread) · lt siuvinėti (to stitch a decorative design on fabric with needle and thread) · is sauma út (to stitch a decorative design on fabric with needle and thread) · cs vyšívat (to stitch a decorative design on fabric with needle and thread) · sw tarizi (to stitch a decorative design on fabric with needle and thread) · ru вышива́ть (to stitch a decorative design on fabric with needle and thread) · pl wyhaftować (to stitch a decorative design on fabric with needle and thread) · de besticken (to stitch a decorative design on fabric with needle and thread) · vo brodön (to stitch a decorative design on fabric with needle and thread) · sl vesti (to stitch a decorative design on fabric with needle and thread) · bg разкрасявам (to add imaginary detail to a narrative) · el κεντάω (to stitch a decorative design on fabric with needle and thread) · vi thêm mắm thêm muối (to add imaginary detail to a narrative) · fr broder (to stitch a decorative design on fabric with needle and thread) · nrf broudaïr (to stitch a decorative design on fabric with needle and thread) · fi kirjailla (to stitch a decorative design on fabric with needle and thread) · ca brodar (to stitch a decorative design on fabric with needle and thread) · hi काढ़ना (to stitch a decorative design on fabric with needle and thread) · no brodere (to stitch a decorative design on fabric with needle and thread) · ga gréasaigh (to stitch a decorative design on fabric with needle and thread) · nrf broder (to stitch a decorative design on fabric with needle and thread)