burlap

noun

bur·​lap ˈbər-ˌlap 

1

: a coarse heavy plain-woven fabric usually of jute or hemp used for bagging and wrapping and in furniture and linoleum manufacture

2

: a lightweight material resembling burlap used in interior decoration or for clothing

Examples of burlap in a Sentence

The bag is made of burlap.

Recent Examples on the Web

To do so, cover the peach tree from top to bottom with burlap or cloth and wrap the trunk with a tree guard, such as hardware cloth, plastic mesh, or tubing, to protect it from damage. —Sj McShane, Martha Stewart, 10 Mar. 2026

Place three or four sturdy stakes around the shrub and drape a large piece of burlap or a cotton bed sheet over the top of the stakes and the shrub. —Mary Marlowe Leverette, Southern Living, 22 Feb. 2026

Four big burlap sacks of coffee were delivered to the Dallas store yesterday from Mexico, El Salvador, Bolivia and Colombia. —Sarah Blaskovich, Dallas Morning News, 20 Feb. 2026

Her looks, shown at Grand Central Terminal’s Vanderbilt Hall during New York Fashion Week, revealed the versatility of the classic burlap sack. —Bailey Bujnosek, InStyle, 18 Feb. 2026

Word History

Etymology

origin unknown

First Known Use

circa 1696, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Rhymes for burlap

• bandgap
• bitmap
• blackcap
• blackstrap
• bootstrap
• claptrap
• entrap
• foolscap
• kidnap
• kneecap
• madcap
• mayhap

Kids Definition

burlap

noun

bur·​lap ˈbər-ˌlap 

: a rough fabric made usually from jute or hemp and used mostly for bags and wrappings