houndstooth
/ˈhaʊndstuːθ/
Word Rarity
Very rare
Frequency: Zipf frequency 2.07 in modern English
18
Scrabble Score
11
Letters
2
Syllables
7
Unique Chars
Meaning
noun
Fabric with a houndstooth pattern; an item of clothing made with such fabric.
Countable; Uncountable
noun
Alternative letter-case form of houndstooth.
Example Sentences
- "Other patterns include varied adaptations of paisleys, Tree of Life motifs, tiles, scenics, patchworks, ticking, soft-edge geometries, sports themes, crewel shapes, houndsteeth, and a plethora of florals."
- "A houndstooth fabric is composed of tiny, interlocking pinwheel motifs. There are many houndstooth knitting patterns[…]; to add an extra touch to these patterns, work them in nubby or textured yarns."
- "Sophisticated houndstooth checks highlight a toddler's jacket and hat."
- "Their ties were tidier, their houndsteeth toothier … they ended up looking more Windsorian than Windsor."
- "Her dress is wool too, brown and black houndsteeth that belonged to her mother."
Etymology
From hound + -s- + tooth, from its appearance. Although the pattern itself is archaeologically found from time immemorial, the modern term is first attested in 1936.
Origin
Word Breakdown
Regional Pronunciation
- American English: /ˈhaʊndstuːθ/
- British English: /ˈhaʊndstuːθ/
Usage
Inflected Forms
houndsteeth (plural)
Houndstooths (plural)