homespun

1 of 2

adjective

home·​spun ˈhōm-ˌspən How to pronounce homespun (audio)
1
a
: spun or made at home
b
: made of homespun
2
: simple, homely
homespun philosophy

homespun

2 of 2

noun

: a loosely woven usually woolen or linen fabric originally made from homespun yarn

Examples of homespun in a Sentence

Adjective People enjoy his folksy, homespun manner. a beloved writer who was famous for dispensing his homespun philosophy of life in a weekly newspaper column
Recent Examples on the Web
Adjective
Modern art above the bed complements the minimalist vibe, while vintage nightstands and a statement chandelier add a homespun personality. Kate McGregor, ELLE Decor, 21 Dec. 2022 In the 1980s, mother-daughter duo The Judds, with their homespun songs and pure, family harmonies, were among several acts that helped return country music to a more rootsy sound. Jessica Nicholson, Billboard, 29 Oct. 2022 For those who want to learn more about this homespun start-up with a mission to do nothing less than save the planet, PrairieFood is sponsoring a conference on November 14-15 in beautiful Pratt, Kansas. Erik Kobayashi-Solomon, Forbes, 10 Oct. 2022 The homespun pattern gives you leeway to keep the rest of your outfit simple (but still look put together). Halie Lesavage, Harper's BAZAAR, 6 Oct. 2022 Nevertheless, as Hayeur Smith found in the archaeological record, women continued to weave their homespun cloth on their farms. Francine Russo, Scientific American, 18 Sep. 2022 For a homespun accent, wrap string around the vases. Sarah Martens, Better Homes & Gardens, 28 Aug. 2022 Still a very homespun affair, Cronin and her team of four seamstresses (including the aforementioned ex-boyfriend’s mum, Annabel), predominantly work out of Cronin’s living room. Hannah Coates, Vogue, 13 Aug. 2022 For more guidance on finding the balance as a parent between tracking your kids for safety reasons and accidentally cultivating a homespun surveillance state, check out this article from contributor Cyd Harrell. WIRED, 22 Aug. 2022
Noun
But to the madras-born, an essential part of the canon is a homespun delight that was traditionally not purchased in a high-end boutique but ideally knit by your grandmother or prep school girlfriend. Eric Twardzik, Robb Report, 25 Oct. 2023 Since at least the 2008 financial crisis, higher education leaders, policymakers, and the media have increasingly accepted as a given that higher education should not be comprehensive but rather driven by return on investment, based on short-term, fluctuating, homespun ideas about market value. Aaron R. Hanlon, The New Republic, 23 Oct. 2023 Maybe the free will stuff will find an emotional hook in the season’s home stretch, and maybe wibbly wobbly timey wimey stuff will become more than just circular babble that Hiddleston makes sound Shakespearean, Wilson turns into homespun wisdom and Quan mines for comedy. Daniel Fienberg, The Hollywood Reporter, 3 Oct. 2023 But the homespun wedding was far from invented during covid. Hannah Holland, Washington Post, 14 Mar. 2023 Hill shouted out her hometown often and cheerily, name-checking Newark totems such as Essex County and her alma mater, Columbia High School, with a wellspring of homespun nostalgia that prompted her to welcome several area high schoolers to play as part of her band. A.d. Amorosi, Variety, 18 Oct. 2023 With these little homespun tragedies E began to make his mark. Rachel Cusk, Harper's Magazine, 10 Sep. 2023 Swathed in a homespun blanket, this is the expression of someone who has witnessed the horrors of Middle-earth and found herself in the edenic Lothlórien. Daniel Rodgers, Vogue, 25 Sep. 2023 For homespun wisdom and nest egg protection, stick to the numbers. Shawn Tully, Fortune, 6 Sep. 2023 See More

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'homespun.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

First Known Use

Adjective

circa 1589, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Noun

1651, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of homespun was circa 1589

Dictionary Entries Near homespun

Cite this Entry

“Homespun.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/homespun. Accessed 9 Dec. 2023.

Kids Definition

homespun

1 of 2 adjective
home·​spun -ˌspən How to pronounce homespun (audio)
1
a
: spun or made at home
b
: made of homespun
2
: not worldly : simple sense 3

homespun

2 of 2 noun
: a loosely woven usually woolen or linen fabric

More from Merriam-Webster on homespun

Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!