What does plication mean?
Plication is a formal word for a fold, pleat, or twisting, and for the process of making such folds. It can describe the gathered or folded detail of fabric, the arrangement of overlapping layers in paper or other materials, and the interlacing of parts. In medicine, plication may refer to a fold in an organ or to a surgical technique involving reinforcement or reshaping tissue. The word is more specialized and elegant than the everyday noun “fold,” so it is especially useful in descriptions of textiles, design, anatomy, and technical processes. Although it is not a common word in casual conversation, understanding it reveals the long history of English vocabulary for the physical act of folding and layering.
nounA fold, pleat, or twisting; the act or process of folding or interlacing something. In anatomical contexts, it refers to a fold or series of folds in a tissue or organ.
- A fold or pleat, especially in fabric, paper, or another flexible material.
- The act or process of folding, pleating, or twisting something.
- An interlacing or intertwining of parts; a complex arrangement.
- An anatomical fold or series of folds in a tissue or organ.
"The tailor created an elegant plication in the fabric."
"The fabric fell in soft plications around the dancer's shoulders."
"Surgeons may use a plication technique to reinforce weakened tissue."
The regular plural is used when referring to multiple folds, twists, or anatomical folds.
"Several delicate plications framed the neckline of the garment."
From the Latin word for folding, plication is a reminder that the most enduring ideas can be shaped through layers, folds, and careful arrangement.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Where does plication come from?
Plication comes from Latin plicātiō, a noun formed from plicāre, “to fold” or “pleat,” with the participial ending -ātus. The same Latin root underlies words such as plicate, implicate, and complicate. Plication entered English as a learned term and became especially associated with formal descriptions of folds, pleats, anatomical structures, and the act of folding or interlacing.
Related word forms
How plication is actually used
Plication is more formal and specialized than the everyday word “fold.” It is especially common in textile, design, anatomy, and technical writing.