Meaning & use
a dupatta
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Meaning
nouncountableIndian
A long scarf or shawl worn by women in South Asia, often draped over the shoulders or head with a salwar kameez or other outfit.
Grammar: Countable: one dupatta, two dupattas. It is often used with 'wear' or 'drape'.
Patterns
- wear a dupatta
- a dupatta over something
- match a dupatta with something
She wore a bright red dupatta that matched her dress.
The dupatta slipped off her shoulder as she danced.
In many South Asian cultures, a dupatta is an important part of a woman's outfit.
Word forms
| plural | dupattas |
|---|
Common combinations
- silk dupatta
- She bought a silk dupatta to wear at the wedding.
- drape a dupatta
- He watched her drape the dupatta carefully over her head.
- dupatta with embroidery
- The dupatta with gold embroidery was very expensive.
- match the dupatta
- She tried to match the dupatta with her shoes.
Synonyms and how they differ
Practice
In which sentence is 'dupatta' used correctly?
Choose one answer.
A dupatta is a scarf-like garment worn with South Asian clothing, so wearing it with a salwar kameez is correct. The other options misuse it as a belt, a heavy object, or wall decoration.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “a dupatta”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.