carpet

noun

car·​pet ˈkär-pət 

1

: a heavy often tufted fabric used as a floor covering

also : a floor covering made of this fabric

2

: a surface or layer resembling or suggesting a carpet

carpet verb

see also:

on the carpet

Examples of carpet in a Sentence

We bought a new carpet for the bedroom.

Which brand of carpet did you choose?

The ground was covered by a carpet of leaves.

Recent Examples on the Web

Awards season is in full swing, and last night saw the nominees for the 2026 Film Independent Spirit Awards hit the blue carpet in Los Angeles. —Anna Cafolla, Vogue, 16 Feb. 2026

The main sitting area, between the Coquille d’Or bar and the reception area, feels at once Art Deco and Arts & Crafts with its blend of old and modern– carpets with foliage motifs, a mix of travertine and oak, medieval tapestries and vintage Louis XIII-style armchairs. —Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 15 Feb. 2026

This week, for the first time at the Olympics, skiers will scamper uphill wearing carpet-like skins on their skis or just their stiff boots, then barrel back down an ungroomed course. —Evan Bush, NBC news, 15 Feb. 2026

The carpet setting lowers the rotating brush, which could scratch and dull hardwood floors over time. —Daley Quinn, Southern Living, 14 Feb. 2026

Word History

Etymology

Middle English, from Middle French carpite, from Old Italian carpita, from carpire to pluck, modification of Latin carpere to pluck — more at harvest

First Known Use

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Phrases Containing carpet

• Brussels carpet
• call (someone) on the carpet
• carpet beetle
• carpet bomb
• carpet slipper
• carpet sweeper
• magic carpet
• red carpet
• roll out the red carpet
• sweep (something) under the carpet
• tapestry carpet

Kids Definition

carpet

noun

car·​pet ˈkär-pət 

1

: a heavy fabric used especially as a floor covering

2

: a covering like a carpet

carpet verb