Meaning & use
pillow case
Last updated
Meanings
nouncountable
A cloth bag that you pull over a pillow to keep it clean and comfortable.
Grammar: Countable, so it takes a/an and a plural: a pillow case, two pillow cases.
Patterns
- a clean pillow case
- change the pillow cases
- put a pillow case on something
I washed the sheets and the pillow cases this morning.
There's a spare pillow case in the top drawer if you need one.
She bought new pillow cases to match the curtains in the guest room.
nouncountable
A removable fabric cover used as a decorative layer over a pillow, often with an envelope or flap opening.
Grammar: Countable and used the same way as the main sense, but here it points to the decorative outer cover.
Patterns
- a decorative pillow case
- an embroidered pillow case
- slip something into a pillow case
The hotel uses crisp white pillow cases with a small embroidered logo.
He slipped the folded blanket into a pillow case to make a quick travel bag.
Word forms
| plural | pillow cases |
|---|
Common combinations
- change the pillow cases
- We change the pillow cases every week.
- a clean pillow case
- Could you bring me a clean pillow case?
- a matching pillow case
- The duvet set comes with two matching pillow cases.
- put a pillow case on
- It takes a minute to put a pillow case on a big pillow.
- a spare pillow case
- Keep a spare pillow case in the linen closet.
Synonyms and how they differ
- pillowcase
- Exactly the same thing; this one-word spelling is just as standard and is very common in American English.
- pillow slip
- An older British term for the same item; it sounds dated today and is mostly found in older books.
- pillow sham
- Similar shape, but a sham is a decorative cover usually kept on top of the bed rather than slept on.
Word family
- pillow noun
- The soft cushion itself that goes inside the case.
- cushion cover noun
- A removable cover for a sofa or chair cushion, not for a bed pillow.
Commonly confused: pillow case or pillow sham? pillow case or duvet cover?
pillow case vs pillow sham
A sham is a decorative cover with a wide border, often left on the bed for looks; a pillow case is the plain cover you actually sleep on.
pillow case vs duvet cover
A duvet cover is much larger and covers a thick quilt, while a pillow case fits only a pillow.
Practice
Which sentence uses 'pillow case' correctly?
Choose one answer.
A pillow case is a fabric cover for a pillow, so it belongs on a bed. The other options describe things a cloth bag for a pillow cannot do.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “pillow case”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.