noun · 2 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.
UK, US:/pælˈjɑːs/
UK, US:/ˈpæljas/
UK, US:/ˌpælɪˈɑːs/
UK, US:/ˈpælɪˌas/
1
noun
Meaning 1
A thin mattress or under bed stuffed with straw.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: UK
Examples
1969, Dad's Army S03E02 You see that pile of straw over there? With it you stuff your palliasse.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
2
noun
Meaning 2
mattress consisting of a thin pad filled with straw or sawdust
Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: paillasse
Antonyms: none provided
Broader terms: mattress
History
Etymology
French French paillasse, from Old French paille (“straw, chaff”), from Latin palea (“chaff”).
Across languages
Translations
2 source translations are retained for this English entry.