Bedspreads

Part of speech: noun

Definitions

1. A decorative layer placed atop a mattress that serves both aesthetic and functional purposes, often offering warmth and style to a sleeping area
2. A fabric covering put over bedding to enhance a bedroom's appearance and sometimes provide light warmth
3. A decorative layer placed on top of sheets and blankets to improve the look of a bed while adding slight warmth

Etymology: "Bedspread" is a plain English compound: "bed" plus "spread," the latter meaning a covering laid over something, as in "tablespread" or the older "spread" for a coverlet. It is a simple compound rather than a borrowed or coined term, so its history is straightforward. The first element is Old English "bedd," shared with German "Bett," and the second comes from the verb "spread," which in Middle English could mean to stretch or extend something across a surface. The "spread" in this sense is an old term for a cover laid over a bed, and it is recorded in English from the late 1400s, though its precise first date is uncertain. The compound describes exactly what the object does: it is spread across the bed as the top layer. The plural "bedspreads" is simply the regular noun plural of this compound.

Synonyms: coverlet, bed cover, bedspread, quilt, blanket