Bedskirt

Part of speech: noun

Definitions

1. A type of textile that is placed around the base of a bed to visually enhance the space and cover under-bed storage areas
2. A decorative piece of fabric that attaches to the bottom edge of a mattress, serving to hide what's stored underneath while adding style
3. A fabric accessory designed to hang around the perimeter of a bed, aimed at concealing storage beneath while enhancing the overall aesthetic of the bedroom

Etymology: A bedskirt is simply a bed plus a skirt: the fabric that hangs from the edge of a bed frame down to the floor, concealing the space beneath. The "skirt" half comes from the garment, which in Old Norse was "skyrta," a shirt or tunic, and the image of a cloth hanging from an edge gives the bedding its name. The compound is transparent, so the word reads exactly as the object looks. The word is a plain English compound, and its parts have been in the language for centuries. "Bed" is an old native word, while "skirt" entered English from Old Norse and came to mean the lower part of a garment. Joining the two produced a term for the drape that does the same job a dress hem does, shielding something from view.

Synonyms: dust ruffle, bed ruffle