point lace
- noun
- Archaic
:
encaje de punto
- The dress was beautifully adorned with delicate point lace along the hem.
Examples
-
She learned to create point lace by following a tutorial that used a paper pattern.
-
At the craft fair, I discovered several stunning examples of point lace made by local artisans.
-
3 past the windows full of point lace and ancient pewter.
Academic text (2005)
Synonyms
79
2.0
A thin decorative cloth made from threads in open patterns used on clothes
1
6.8
A delicate open pattern of threads used to decorate veils or dresses
How Handmade
- Archaic
- Specialized
1
9.1
- Specialized
Surface Forms
Morphology
The noun 'lace' makes it clear this is a kind of lace, so part of the meaning is directly compositional. However, the modifier 'point' has a specialized, technical sense in lacemaking (referring to a particular stitch/technique) that is not predictable from the basic meaning 'point' (tip), so learners would not infer the precise production method. Because the general category is transparent but the specific technical sense is not, the item is best judged semi-transparent.
Etymology
Point lace gets its name from how it is made: a maker uses a needle to make many tiny points or 'stitches' on a paper pattern, working them one by one. Those joined points of thread form the delicate lace, so the name describes this needle-made lace.