rug

noun

ˈrəg 

1

: lap robe

2

: a piece of thick heavy fabric that usually has a nap or pile and is used as a floor covering

3

: a floor mat of an animal pelt

a bearskin rug

4

slang : toupee sense 1

5

British : a blanket for an animal (such as a horse or dog)

Synonyms

• wig
• toupee
• hairpiece

Examples of rug in a Sentence

I accidentally spilled wine on the rug.

You could tell that he was wearing a rug.

Recent Examples on the Web

Don’t use this mixture on carpets made of natural fibers like wool, jute, cotton, and silk as well as antique rugs because the hydrogen peroxide can damage the fibers and fade or bleach the color. —Karen Brewer Grossman, Southern Living, 17 Oct. 2025

Surveillance video from inside the house then shows the dog lying down on a rug, munching away on the battery in the living room. —Julia Gomez, USA Today, 16 Oct. 2025

Why was that moment such a rug-pull for you? —Seth Abramovitch, HollywoodReporter, 15 Oct. 2025

Where to Stay Off Broadway and a short walk to Bearskin Neck, Addison Choate is a small boutique inn that has historic charm with its wide pine floors and Persian rugs. —Megan Margulies, Travel + Leisure, 14 Oct. 2025

Word History

Etymology

Middle English *rug rag, tuft, probably of Scandinavian origin; akin to Norwegian dialect rugga coarse rug, Old Norse rǫgg tuft

First Known Use

1591, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Phrases Containing rug

• cut a rug
• flokati rug
• lie like a rug
• Oriental rug
• prayer rug
• pull the rug from under
• rug rat
• scatter rug
• steamer rug
• sweep (something) under the rug
• throw rug

Rhymes for rug

• chug
• doug
• drug
• dug
• hug
• jug
• lug
• mug
• plug
• pug
• rugg
• shrug

Kids Definition

rug

noun

ˈrəg 

: a piece of thick heavy fabric usually with a nap or pile used as a floor covering