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Glite Dictionary
concertina fold

concertina fold

6.7
A pattern where paper, cloth, or rock is bent back and forth like an accordion
  • noun
  • /ˌkɒn.sɚˈtiː.nə foʊld/
  • Specialized
translation icon : plegado en concertina
  • Many tourist maps use a concertina fold so they can expand and collapse easily.

Examples

  • Geologists examined the concertina folds found in the rock layers.

  • The invitation was cleverly designed with a concertina fold, making it fun to open.

  • The artist used a concertina fold technique in her sculpture.

  • Can you show me how to create a concertina fold?

  • Many tourist maps use a concertina fold so they can expand and collapse easily.

  • Geologists examined the concertina folds found in the rock layers.

  • The invitation was cleverly designed with a concertina fold, making it fun to open.

Synonyms

accordion fold
vsconcertina fold
5.5

A way of folding paper that makes a zig-zag, often for maps or brochures

is an alternative name for the same alternating parallel folding pattern
z-fold
vsconcertina fold
  • Specialized
8.8

A way of bending paper to make a zigzag shape like an accordion, often used in brochures and maps

is the general pattern term not limited to those specific uses
zig-zag fold
vsconcertina fold
6.7

A series of paper folds that go back and forth like the letter Z

is the broader back and forth folding idea rather than focusing on sharp angles
fanfold
vsconcertina fold
  • Archaic
6.0

In a long zigzag shape for feeding printers

is the general folding pattern not restricted to machine feeding use
plication
vsconcertina fold
  • Specialized
9.9

A fold in fabric or body tissue

is a repeated alternating back and forth folding pattern rather than a single crease

How Folded

concertina fold
  • Specialized
6.7
to pleat
13 4.4
crease
27 1.5
fold
84 2.4

Surface Forms

concertina fold singular
concertina folds plural

Morphology

concertina + fold

The compound is directly descriptive: 'concertina' denotes accordion-like folding and 'fold' denotes a crease or doubled-over section, so 'concertina fold' simply names a fold made in an accordion/zig-zag fashion. This is a literal, compositional pattern (verb/descriptor + noun) that is cross-linguistically common, so a B1 learner who knows both constituents would readily infer the meaning.

Etymology

Concertina fold comes from the small musical instrument concertina, which opens and closes like an accordion, and the word fold means to bend material back and forth. That's why the phrase describes paper or rock layers that can 'expand and collapse' or look like a 'zig-zag'.