Standard Lemma guide

crape

noun · verb · 8 senses · updated from the 2026-07-25 local source snapshot

Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.

Sound

Pronunciation

Each Play button uses your device's default local English voice, or a natural local fallback. The selected voice name appears after playback. This is synthesized speech, not a source recording.

  • krāp
  • /kɹeɪp/
  • Southern-England: Recorded audio is listed in the source snapshot.
  • homophone: crepe
  • homophone: crêpe
  • rhymes with -eɪp

1

noun

Meaning 1

Alternative form of crepe (“a thin fabric, paper, or pancake”).

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: alt-of, alternative, countable, uncountable

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

2

noun

Meaning 2

Mourning garments, especially an armband or hatband.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: countable, uncountable

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

3

verb

Meaning 3

To form into ringlets; to curl or crimp.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: transitive

Examples

  • a machine for craping silk
  • July 24, 1786, Frances Burney (aka Madame d'Arblay), diary the hour for curling and craping the hair

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

4

verb

Meaning 4

To clothe in crape.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: transitive

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

5

noun

Meaning 5

a soft thin light fabric with a crinkled surface

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: crepe

Antonyms: none provided

Broader terms: fabric, cloth, material, textile

Narrower terms: Canton crepe, crepe de Chine, marocain, crepe marocain

6

noun

Meaning 6

small very thin pancake

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: crepe, French pancake

Antonyms: none provided

Broader terms: pancake, battercake, flannel cake, flannel-cake, flapcake, flapjack, griddlecake, hotcake, hot cake

Narrower terms: crepe Suzette

7

verb

Meaning 7

curl tightly

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

Examples

  • crimp hair

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: crimp, frizzle, frizz, kink up, kink

Antonyms: none provided

Broader terms: curl, wave

8

verb

Meaning 8

cover or drape with crape

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

Examples

  • crape the mirror

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: crepe

Antonyms: none provided

Broader terms: cover

History

Etymology

Alteration of French crepe, from Middle French crespe (“curly”), from Latin crispus. Doublet of crisp and crepe.

Across languages

Translations

12 source translations are retained for this English entry.

  • Catalan: crespó — mourning garments
  • French: bandeau — mourning garments
  • French: crêpe — mourning garments
  • Ido: krepo — mourning garments
  • Italian: fascia nera — mourning garments
  • Macedonian: траур (traur) — mourning garments
  • Spanish: crespón — mourning garments
  • Bulgarian: креп (krep) — thin, crimped stuff, made of raw silk gummed and twisted on the mill
  • Catalan: crepè — thin, crimped stuff, made of raw silk gummed and twisted on the mill
  • German: Krepp — thin, crimped stuff, made of raw silk gummed and twisted on the mill
  • Lithuanian: krepas — thin, crimped stuff, made of raw silk gummed and twisted on the mill
  • Russian: креп (krep) — thin, crimped stuff, made of raw silk gummed and twisted on the mill