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

If weather is the issue, consider wrapping your boxwoods in burlap during winter to protect against harsh winds and cold temperatures. — Samantha Johnson, Martha Stewart, 5 Aug. 2026

If freezing temperatures are predicted, pick any ripe fruit and cover the trunks of young trees with burlap or newspaper to insulate them. — Mary Marlowe Leverette, The Spruce, 4 July 2026

In 2021, Jeremy Scott made a series of tailored potato sack dresses for Moschino, woven from a linen blend that resembled burlap. — Faran Krentcil, InStyle, 1 July 2026

On the table in front of her was a small burlap bag containing the rudiments of a mapmaking game called the Quiet Year, in which players use a sheet of paper, a pen, some dice, and a deck of special cards to tell the story of a community struggling to rebuild after society collapses. — Luis A. Gómez, New Yorker, 22 June 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