Blanket

Part of speech: noun, verb

Pronunciation: /ˈblæŋkɪt/

Definitions

1. A large piece of soft fabric used to provide warmth while sleeping or resting
2. A sizable, soft textile item used to wrap around for warmth or comfort during sleep or restful activities
3. A thick, often warm covering made of fabric that is utilized for insulation during sleep or leisure activities, and can also refer to a broad or encompassing layer of protection over something

Etymology: The most surprising thing about "blanket" is that its first meaning was not a bed covering at all but a horse. Old Northern French "blanket" meant "white horse," literally "that which is white," and was a little diminutive of "blanc." The same root gave "blank" and "blanch," so the word began as a colour description before it became a textile. The textile sense arrived through "white woollen cloth" or flannel, and a related sense described a type of jacket. English already had a native word for this, Old English "hwītel," meaning "blanket, cloak, or mantle," built from "hwīt" (white) and a diminutive ending. The French-derived word did not simply replace it. Instead, "blanket" displaced the native Middle English "whytel," and that older word survives today only in the form "whittle," which once meant a cloak or shawl.

Synonyms: cover, wrap, layer, shroud, cloak

Antonyms: expose, reveal, uncover