canvas

¹can·vas

noun \ˈkan-vəs\

Definition of CANVAS

1

: a firm closely woven cloth usually of linen, hemp, or cotton used for clothing and formerly much used for tents and sails

2

: a set of sails : sail

3

: a piece of canvas used for a particular purpose

4

: tent; also : a group of tents

5

a : a piece of cloth backed or framed as a surface for a painting; also : the painting on such a surface b : the background, setting, or scope of a historical or fictional account or narrative

6

: a coarse cloth so woven as to form regular meshes for working with the needle

7

: the canvas-covered floor of a boxing or wrestling ring

— can·vas·like \-vəs-ˌlīk\ adjective

Variants of CANVAS

can·vas also can·vass \ˈkan-vəs\

Examples of CANVAS

1. a tent made of canvas
2. Use a canvas to cover the boat.
3. The museum has several canvases by Rubens.

Origin of CANVAS

Middle English canevas, from Anglo-French canevas, chanevaz, from Vulgar Latin *cannabaceus hempen, from Latin cannabis hemp — more at cannabis

First Known Use: 13th century

Related to CANVAS

Synonyms: painting (also canvass), oil, oil painting

Related Words: fresco, mural, panorama; diptych, triptych; acrylic, aquarelle, gouache, watercolor; distemper, drawing, etching, finger painting, pastel, sketch, tempera; masterpiece; pièce de résistance, showpiece

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Other Textiles Terms

batt, bias, brocade, duck, flock, lawn, toile