Meaning & use
counterpane
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Meaning
nouncountable
A decorative cover laid over the top of a made bed, often patterned, quilted or embroidered.
Grammar: Usually takes an or the: a lace counterpane.
Patterns
- a counterpane of something
- spread a counterpane over something
The guest room had an iron bed with a white lace counterpane.
She smoothed the faded counterpane before the visitors arrived.
He pulled the heavy counterpane back and climbed in.
Word forms
| plural | counterpanes |
|---|
Common combinations
- a quilted counterpane
- A quilted counterpane lay across the foot of the bed.
- an embroidered counterpane
- Her grandmother had stitched an embroidered counterpane for her wedding.
- smooth the counterpane
- The maid smoothed the counterpane and plumped the pillows.
- pull back the counterpane
- He pulled back the counterpane to check the sheets.
- a faded counterpane
- The room smelled of dust and a faded counterpane.
Synonyms and how they differ
- bedspread
- Bedspread is the ordinary modern word, while counterpane sounds dated and belongs mostly in older stories.
- coverlet
- Coverlet suggests a lighter cover, often woven, whereas a counterpane is usually thought of as decorative and quilted.
- quilt
- A quilt is stitched in layers and may be used for warmth, but a counterpane is mainly the top decorative layer.
- comforter
- Comforter is the American word for a thick padded bed cover, and it sounds much more everyday than counterpane.
Word family
- bedspread noun
- the ordinary modern word for a decorative bed cover
- coverlet noun
- a light bed cover, close in meaning
- bedclothes noun
- the sheets and covers on a bed taken together
Commonly confused: counterpane or counterpart?
counterpane vs counterpart
A counterpart is a person or thing that matches or corresponds to another, and has nothing to do with beds.
Practice
Which sentence would sound most natural in an old novel set in a country house?
Choose one answer.
A counterpane is a decorative bed cover, so only the first sentence places it where it belongs. The other settings have nothing to do with beds.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “counterpane”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.