Batt

Part of speech: noun

Definitions

1. A thick pad or sheet of cotton, wool or synthetic fibre used for stuffing or insulating walls, quilts and clothing
2. A layer of loose fibrous material, often sold in rolls, used to insulate buildings or to fill quilts and cushions
3. Padded fibrous sheeting, typically of wool or cotton, that provides warmth and insulation in bedding and building construction

Etymology: The noun "batt" is one of those English words whose origin has never been pinned down. It turns up in Late Middle English with the sense of a "piece" or "lump," and it is the kind of word where a plausible guess is easy to find but hard to confirm. The one lead worth following connects it to "bat" in the sense of fabric that has been beaten, which suggests a link to the process of pounding or flattening material into a soft sheet. If that connection holds, the sense of a thick, loose mass of material would be a natural step: a piece of cloth beaten into a shapeless wad. The sense of "lump" may therefore reflect the look of a compressed or matted quantity of stuff rather than a specific object. Beyond that, the history is uncertain, and no firmer origin can be given with confidence.

Synonyms: pad, mat, wad