embroider
UK[ɪmˈbrɔɪdə(r)]US[ɪmˈbrɔɪdər]
v
to decorate cloth or clothing with patterns or pictures consisting of stitches that are sewn directly onto the material
v
to make a story or account more interesting by adding details that are not true
Morpheme Breakdown
em
broider
em
in, into, on
broider
to embroider
Etymology
the word "embroider" entered english in the late middle english period from the anglo-norman french 'embrouder'. this, in turn, is derived from the old french 'broder', 'embrouder', which likely has a germanic origin, possibly from frankish or another west germanic language. the prefix 'em-' (a form of 'en-') means 'to put into or onto', combined with the root meaning 'to stitch or ornament with needlework'. the literal sense of putting decorative stitches onto fabric evolved metaphorically to describe the act of embellishing a story with invented details.
Analysis
Structure: em + broider
em- (prefix, from latin 'in-', meaning 'in, into, on'), broider (root, from old french 'broder', meaning 'to embroider')
Examples
she learned to embroider beautiful floral patterns on her grandmother's linen.
the historical account was heavily embroidered with dramatic anecdotes to make it more engaging.
he would often embroider the truth about his fishing trips, claiming to have caught much larger fish.