lapel

1 of 2

noun

la·​pel lə-ˈpel How to pronounce lapel (audio)
: the part of a garment that is turned back
specifically : the fold of the front of a coat that is usually a continuation of the collar
lapelled adjective
or lapeled

lapelled

2 of 2

adjective

la·​pelled lə-ˈpeld How to pronounce lapelled (audio)
variants or lapeled
1
: having lapels
2
: turned back as lapels

Examples of lapel in a Sentence

Noun He wore a carnation in his lapel.
Recent Examples on the Web
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Noun
Turner stood beside her in a black tuxedo with satin lapels, a pleated white shirt, black bow tie and dark red boutonniere. Maggie Clancy, Footwear News, 20 June 2026 The future king wore a dark suit and top hat complete with a yellow flower on his lapel, echoing wife Kate's summer look. Jennifer Hassan, USA Today, 17 June 2026 Prince William, who joined his wife at Ascot, coordinated with her bold dress with a bright yellow boutonnière in the lapel of his black morning suit. Meg Walters, InStyle, 17 June 2026 Kate’s coatdress, designed by Catherine Walker, featured light blue buttons with white trimmings on the edges of her lapels and pockets to match her hat, which featured a light blue outer rim with a white center. Kimberlee Speakman, PEOPLE, 13 June 2026 See All Example Sentences for lapel

Word History

Etymology

Noun

diminutive of lap entry 1

First Known Use

Noun

1789, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of lapel was in 1789

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Lapel.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/lapel. Accessed 25 Jun. 2026.

Kids Definition

lapel

noun
la·​pel lə-ˈpel How to pronounce lapel (audio)
: the fold of the front of a coat that is usually a part of the collar

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