Skip to main content
pocket flap

pocket flap

1 3.5
A piece of cloth that covers a pocket opening to keep things safe and make the pocket look neater
  • noun
translation icon : solapa de bolsillo
  • Matthew pulled on the jacket to his pinstriped suit, which had pocket flaps and a flare around the hips.

Examples

  • Their uniforms made them look bigger: ten-gallon hats, gold badges on their hats and shirts, special black plastic nametags on the pocket flap, white letters.

    Fiction book (1998)
  • And you can make pocket flaps in all kinds of shapes and sizes and styles.

  • OK, but these pockets are known for those pleats in the center with a big pocket flap with a button.

  • She stitched it into immobility, fixing it beneath the pocket flap so that if by chance he felt a nubbin on his hip, he'd assume it was the button and would never check.

    Fiction book (2000)
  • The jacket featured a stylish pocket flap that matched the overall design.

  • She carefully tucked her phone inside the pocket flap to secure it.

  • The pocket flap not only adds decoration but also helps keep the wallet safe.

Synonyms

flap
vspocket flap
33 2.5

A broad thin piece of material attached by one edge that hangs loose

is a small fabric cover for a garment opening protecting contents or decorating

Surface Forms

pocket flap singular
pocket flaps plural

Morphology

pocket + flap

The meaning is directly compositional: 'pocket' (a small pouch) combined with 'flap' (a flexible piece attached by one edge) naturally yields a piece of fabric covering a pocket opening. This straightforward noun–noun compounding pattern is cross-linguistically common, so a B1 learner who knows both constituents will readily infer the meaning.

Etymology

Pocket flap comes from a small piece of cloth that folds over the opening of a pocket, where the flap acts like a little lid to 'protect' what is inside. That's why it now means the fabric or 'cover' that keeps a pocket's contents safe.