quilt
UK[kwɪlt]US[kwɪlt]
n
A warm bed covering made of padding enclosed between two layers of fabric and kept in place by lines of stitching.
v
To stitch or sew (two layers of cloth with padding between them) in lines or patterns to form a bed covering or a garment.
Etymology
The word 'quilt' entered Middle English from the Anglo-French 'quilte', which itself derived from the Latin 'culcita', meaning a mattress or cushion. The Latin term is of uncertain deeper origin, though it may be connected to a Proto-Indo-European root meaning "to wind" or "to twist," a plausible reference to the stuffed and sewn nature of the object. The core concept evolved from a general padded item to specifically denote a stitched bed covering. The modern sense perfectly captures this history, referring to a fabric sandwich of padding held together by the defining characteristic of stitched lines.
Analysis
The word 'quilt' is a simplex word of Latin origin, borrowed into English via French. It is not productively formed from smaller, recognizable English morphemes.
Examples
She pulled the heavy quilt up to her chin on the cold winter night.
The community group met to quilt a beautiful blanket for the charity auction.
The antique quilt was a family heirloom, each patch telling a different story.