What does lapel mean?
A lapel is the folded-back flap at the front of a jacket, coat, or other tailored garment. It lies beside the collar and usually extends downward toward the waist, with most jackets and coats having two lapels that meet or overlap at the front. Lapels are important both visually and structurally: their shape helps determine the garment's overall style, from the simple lines of a notch lapel to the more formal pointed shape of a peak lapel. In everyday speech, the word also appears in expressions such as turning up one's lapels and in compounds such as lapel pin and lapel microphone. Although lapel can describe a relatively small part of a garment, it is a useful and distinctive term because it identifies the precise area where a coat or jacket's front edge folds back from the collar.
nounThe flap or folded-back extension at the front of a jacket, coat, or other garment, adjoining the collar and extending toward the waist. A jacket or coat typically has two lapels.
- The flap or folded-back extension at the front of a jacket, coat, or similar garment, adjoining the collar.
"He adjusted the lapels of his overcoat before leaving the house."
"The silk lapels of her jacket caught the light as she entered the room."
"The politician delivered his speech while wearing an expression of studied confidence and a lapel microphone."
The plural is used when referring to the two flaps of a jacket or coat or to lapels on multiple garments.
"The coat has wide lapels and a high buttoned collar."
A lapel is the small fold that turns a coat from simple clothing into a piece with a distinctive shape and personality.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Where does lapel come from?
The word entered English from French lapelle, a diminutive form associated with lape, meaning a fold or flap of cloth. It appeared in English during the late medieval period, when fitted outer garments and more elaborate clothing styles made the folded front edge a recognizable feature. The modern spelling has remained stable, while related forms such as lapelled have developed for describing a garment that has lapels.
Related word forms
How lapel is actually used
In general use, lapel is the standard term for this garment feature. The word is also used in specialist descriptions of clothing construction, such as notch lapel and peak lapel.