carpet

noun

car·​pet ˈkär-pət 

1

: a heavy often tufted fabric used as a floor covering

also : a floor covering made of this fabric

2

: a surface or layer resembling or suggesting a carpet

carpet verb

Phrases

on the carpet

: before an authority for censure or reproof

got called on the carpet by his boss

Examples of carpet in a Sentence

We bought a new carpet for the bedroom.

Which brand of carpet did you choose?

The ground was covered by a carpet of leaves.

Recent Examples on the Web

Water made its way through the entire house, soaking the carpets and the walls. —Mita Mallick, TIME, 24 Feb. 2025

He’ll be stationed on the carpet outside the Dolby Theatre alongside ABC News’ Linsey Davis, Whit Johnson, Chris Connelly and KABC-TV entertainment chief George Pennacchio. Davis has led film awards coverage for Variety since 2020. —William Earl, Variety, 24 Feb. 2025

On the carpet, creatives of all kinds questioned how funding would — and wouldn’t — hold back the right indie artists going forward. —Alison Foreman, IndieWire, 24 Feb. 2025

After wrapping up the carpet, Bell slipped into a white tuxedo with a silk shawl collar blazer and straight-leg pants to open the show. —Michelle Lee, People.com, 24 Feb. 2025

Word History

Etymology

Middle English, from Middle French carpite, from Old Italian carpita, from carpire to pluck, modification of Latin carpere to pluck — more at harvest

First Known Use

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Phrases Containing carpet

• Brussels carpet
• call (someone) on the carpet
• carpet beetle
• carpet bomb
• carpet slipper
• carpet sweeper
• magic carpet
• red carpet
• roll out the red carpet
• sweep (something) under the carpet
• tapestry carpet

Kids Definition

carpet

noun

car·​pet ˈkär-pət 

1

: a heavy fabric used especially as a floor covering

2

: a covering like a carpet

carpet verb