verb · 4 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
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General-American:/ɪmˈbɹɔɪdɚ/
Received-Pronunciation:/ɪmˈbɹɔɪdə/
US:Recorded audio is listed in the source snapshot.
rhymes with -ɔɪdə(ɹ)
CMU ARPABET:IH0 M B R OY1 D ER0
Digits mark lexical stress: 1 primary, 2 secondary, 0 unstressed.
1
verb
Meaning 1
To stitch a decorative design on fabric with needle and thread of various colours.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
2
verb
Meaning 2
To add imaginary detail to a narrative to make it more interesting or acceptable.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: figuratively
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
3
verb
Meaning 3
add details to
Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
From Middle English embrouderen, frequentative of embrouden (“to decorate, embroider”), equivalent to embroid + -er. Middle English embrouden itself comes from Anglo-Norman embrouder, from Old French embrosder (“to embroider”), ultimately of Germanic origin, though the exact pathway is uncertain. Possibly an intensive of Old French brosder, brouder (compare Norman broudaïr), from Gothic *𐌱𐍂𐌿𐌶𐌳𐍉𐌽 (*bruzdōn), related to English bristle and brad. Alternatively, perhaps from Frankish *anbroʀdōn (“to embroider, stitch”), related to Old High German anabrortōn (“to embroider”), Old English onbryrdan (“to prick, incite”).
Across languages
Translations
72 source translations are retained for this English entry.
Arabic:
زركش
(zarkaš)
— to stitch a decorative design on fabric with needle and thread
Armenian:
ասեղնագործել
(aseġnagorcel)
— to stitch a decorative design on fabric with needle and thread
Belarusian:
гафтаваць
(haftavacʹ)
— to stitch a decorative design on fabric with needle and thread
Belarusian:
вы́гафтаваць
(výhaftavacʹ)
— to stitch a decorative design on fabric with needle and thread
Bulgarian:
бродирам
(brodiram)
— to stitch a decorative design on fabric with needle and thread
Catalan:
brodar
— to stitch a decorative design on fabric with needle and thread
Chinese Mandarin:
刺繡 /刺绣
(cìxiù)
— to stitch a decorative design on fabric with needle and thread
Czech:
vyšívat
— to stitch a decorative design on fabric with needle and thread
Danish:
brodere
— to stitch a decorative design on fabric with needle and thread
Dutch:
borduren
— to stitch a decorative design on fabric with needle and thread
Esperanto:
brodi
— to stitch a decorative design on fabric with needle and thread
Finnish:
kirjoa
— to stitch a decorative design on fabric with needle and thread
Finnish:
koruommella
— to stitch a decorative design on fabric with needle and thread
Finnish:
kirjailla
— to stitch a decorative design on fabric with needle and thread
French:
broder
— to stitch a decorative design on fabric with needle and thread
Friulian:
strapongi
— to stitch a decorative design on fabric with needle and thread
Galician:
bordar
— to stitch a decorative design on fabric with needle and thread
German:
sticken
— to stitch a decorative design on fabric with needle and thread
Greek:
κεντάω
(kentáo)
— to stitch a decorative design on fabric with needle and thread
Hindi:
काढ़ना
(kāṛhnā)
— to stitch a decorative design on fabric with needle and thread
Hungarian:
hímez
— to stitch a decorative design on fabric with needle and thread
Icelandic:
sauma út
— to stitch a decorative design on fabric with needle and thread
Icelandic:
bródera
— to stitch a decorative design on fabric with needle and thread
Icelandic:
baldýra
— to stitch a decorative design on fabric with needle and thread
Ido:
brodar
— to stitch a decorative design on fabric with needle and thread
Ingrian:
mišuroittaa
— to stitch a decorative design on fabric with needle and thread
Irish:
bróidnigh
— to stitch a decorative design on fabric with needle and thread
Irish:
gréasaigh
— to stitch a decorative design on fabric with needle and thread
Irish:
spruigeáil
— to stitch a decorative design on fabric with needle and thread
Italian:
ricamare
— to stitch a decorative design on fabric with needle and thread
Japanese:
刺繍する
(shishū suru)
— to stitch a decorative design on fabric with needle and thread
Latin:
acū pingo
— to stitch a decorative design on fabric with needle and thread
Latvian:
izšūt
— to stitch a decorative design on fabric with needle and thread
Ligurian:
recamâ
— to stitch a decorative design on fabric with needle and thread
Lithuanian:
siuvinėti
— to stitch a decorative design on fabric with needle and thread
Lithuanian:
išsiuvinėti
— to stitch a decorative design on fabric with needle and thread
Māori:
tāniko
— to stitch a decorative design on fabric with needle and thread
Mongolian:
хатгамал хийх
(xatgamal xiix)
— to stitch a decorative design on fabric with needle and thread
Mongolian:
ᠬᠠᠳᠬᠤᠮᠠᠯ ᠬᠢᠬᠦ
(qadkumal kiqü)
— to stitch a decorative design on fabric with needle and thread
Norman:
broder
— to stitch a decorative design on fabric with needle and thread
Norman:
broudaïr
— to stitch a decorative design on fabric with needle and thread
Norwegian:
brodere
— to stitch a decorative design on fabric with needle and thread
Polish:
haftować
— to stitch a decorative design on fabric with needle and thread
Polish:
wyhaftować
— to stitch a decorative design on fabric with needle and thread
Portuguese:
bordar
— to stitch a decorative design on fabric with needle and thread
Russian:
вышива́ть
(vyšivátʹ)
— to stitch a decorative design on fabric with needle and thread
Russian:
вы́шить
(výšitʹ)
— to stitch a decorative design on fabric with needle and thread
Slovene:
vesti
— to stitch a decorative design on fabric with needle and thread
Spanish:
bordar
— to stitch a decorative design on fabric with needle and thread
Swahili:
tarizi
— to stitch a decorative design on fabric with needle and thread
Swedish:
brodera
— to stitch a decorative design on fabric with needle and thread
Turkish:
nakış işlemek
— to stitch a decorative design on fabric with needle and thread
Volapük:
brodön
— to stitch a decorative design on fabric with needle and thread
Yiddish:
העפֿטן
(heftn)
— to stitch a decorative design on fabric with needle and thread
Bulgarian:
разкрасявам
(razkrasjavam)
— to add imaginary detail to a narrative
Dutch:
aandikken
— to add imaginary detail to a narrative
Finnish:
värittää
— to add imaginary detail to a narrative
French:
broder
— to add imaginary detail to a narrative
German:
ausschmücken
— to add imaginary detail to a narrative
Greek:
κεντάω
(kentáo)
— to add imaginary detail to a narrative
Italian:
ricamare
— to add imaginary detail to a narrative
Italian:
abbellire
— to add imaginary detail to a narrative
Italian:
indorare
— to add imaginary detail to a narrative
Mongolian:
хачирлах
(xačirlax)
— to add imaginary detail to a narrative
Mongolian:
ᠬᠠᠴᠢᠷᠯᠠᠬᠤ
(qačirlaqu)
— to add imaginary detail to a narrative
Polish:
koloryzować
— to add imaginary detail to a narrative
Polish:
podkolorowywać
— to add imaginary detail to a narrative
Polish:
podkolorować
— to add imaginary detail to a narrative
Portuguese:
florear
— to add imaginary detail to a narrative
Russian:
приукра́шивать
(priukrášivatʹ)
— to add imaginary detail to a narrative
Russian:
приукра́сить
(priukrásitʹ)
— to add imaginary detail to a narrative
Vietnamese:
thêm mắm thêm muối
— to add imaginary detail to a narrative
