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counterpane

 - 3 dictionary results

coun⋅ter⋅pane

  [koun-ter-peyn]
Use counterpane in a Sentence
–noun Older Use.
a quilt or coverlet for a bed; bedspread.
Origin:
1425–75; counter- + pane (in obs. sense bedspread); r. late ME counterpoynte < MF contre-pointe quilt, alter. (by assoc. with contre- counter- ) of cou(s)tepointe, coitepointe < L culcita puncta pricked pillow. See quilt, point

Related forms:
coun⋅ter⋅paned, adjective
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2009.
Cite This Source Link To counterpane
coun·ter·pane   (koun'tər-pān')   
n.  A cover for a bed; a bedspread.

[Alteration of obsolete counterpoint, from Middle English countrepoint, from Old French contrepointe, alteration of coultepointe, from Medieval Latin culcita pūncta, stitched quilt : Latin culcita, quilt, mattress; see quilt + Latin pūnctus, stitched, pricked; see point.]
The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition
Copyright © 2009 by Houghton Mifflin Company.
Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.
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Word Origin & History

counterpane 
"outer covering of a bed," 1459, alteration of counterpoint (q.v.) on model of M.Fr. pan, L. pannus "cloth" (see pane).
Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2001 Douglas Harper
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