drapery

noun

drap·​ery ˈdrā-p(ə-)rē 

plural draperies

1

British : dry goods

2

a

: a decorative piece of material usually hung in loose folds and arranged in a graceful design

b

: hangings of heavy fabric for use as a curtain

3

: the draping or arranging of materials

Synonyms

• curtains
• drapes

Examples of drapery in a Sentence

The painter arranged several items among drapery and began to work.

the drapery for the picture window matched the color of the furniture in the center of the room

Recent Examples on the Web

Ringside serves dishes like smoked Gulf Coast shrimp and seafood towers against a backdrop of velvet drapery, larger-than-life murals depicting trapeze artists and performers, and a striped arch ceiling that recalls a Big Top tent. —Regan Stephens, Travel + Leisure, 9 June 2025

The rugged limestone walls reached to a ceiling with natural skylights, from which aerial roots of ficus trees hung like decorative drapery. —Erik Trinidad, Travel + Leisure, 21 May 2025

The design pro recently decorated a Brooklyn primary with Rosa Bernal’s Sevilla print on the walls, custom-upholstered bed, drapery, and vintage accent chairs to create contrast between the city view outside and the warm environment indoors. —Allison Duncan, Vogue, 8 May 2025

The draperies of his garment are a feat of verisimilitude, his face the image of otherworldly purity. —airmail.news, 30 Nov. 2024

Word History

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Rhymes for drapery

• papery

Kids Definition

drapery

noun

drap·​ery ˈdrā-p(ə-)rē 

plural draperies

1

: a decorative fabric hung in loose folds

2

: curtains of heavy fabric often used over thinner curtains