upholstery

noun up·hol·stery \ (ˌ)əp-ˈhōl-st(ə-)rē , (ˌ)ə-ˈpōl- \

Definition of upholstery

plural upholsteries

:materials (such as fabric, padding, and springs) used to make a soft covering especially for a seat

See upholstery defined for English-language learners

See upholstery defined for kids

Examples of upholstery in a Sentence

an old chair that needs new upholstery
He learned upholstery from his father.

Recent Examples of upholstery from the Web

Guillermo Perez, 40, a taxi driver, putters around the neighborhood in a 1995 Volkswagen Beetle, its windshield cracked and upholstery ripped out, leaving his newer car hidden at home.

— author: joshua partlow, Alaska Dispatch News, "The once-glamorous resort city of Acapulco is now Mexico’s murder capital," 25 Aug. 2017
But the brown and black upholstery in the Revero felt like a faux-leather suitcase from the 1970s.

— hannah elliott, Bloomberg.com, "Don’t Buy a Karma Revero, Buy a Tesla Instead. Or Anything Else.," 4 Aug. 2017
Jin stays at an expensive-looking bed and breakfast in Columbus, but not a Modernist one: It is filled with floral upholstery and other grandmotherish touches.

— josephine livingstone, New Republic, "Kogonada’s spectacular "Columbus" is the John Cho vehicle we have been waiting for.," 2 Aug. 2017
Wood décor will be Smoke Brown or Piano Black, designed to match the leather upholstery.

— jens meiners, Car and Driver, "BMW Marks 40 Years of the 7-series with a Special Edition: America Gets 10 Copies," 23 July 2017
Naturally, no conventional home, with its drapes, upholstery and wood furniture, could withstand Gabe's restorative deluge.

— ny times syndication, NOLA.com, "Inventor of the self-cleaning house, Frances Gabe, dies at 101," 19 July 2017
Naturally, no conventional home, with its drapes, upholstery and wood furniture, could withstand Gabe’s deluge.

— margalit fox, The Seattle Times, "Oregon woman’s claim to fame: inventing the house that cleaned itself," 18 July 2017
The velvet upholstery is embroidered with a cat head and clusters of flowers.

— melissa minton, Glamour, "Gucci Home Decor Is Coming," 12 July 2017
The velvet upholstery is embroidered with a cat head and clusters of flowers.

— melissa minton, Allure, "Gucci Is Entering the Home Decor Market," 12 July 2017

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'upholstery.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Origin and Etymology of upholstery

Middle English upholdester upholsterer, from upholden to uphold, from up + holden to hold

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First Known Use: 1597

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UPHOLSTERY Defined for English Language Learners

upholstery

noun

Definition of upholstery for English Language Learners

: the cloth, leather, etc., that covers a couch, chair, etc.
: the process or business of covering pieces of furniture with cloth, leather, etc.

UPHOLSTERY Defined for Kids

upholstery

noun up·hol·stery \ ˌəp-ˈhōl-stə-rē \

Definition of upholstery for Students

plural upholsteries

:materials used to make a soft covering for a seat

Learn More about upholstery

Spanish Central: Translation of upholstery Nglish: Translation of upholstery for Spanish speakers Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about upholstery

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upholstery

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