Meanings
nouncharpie (countable and uncountable, plural charpies)
plural charpies
- countablehistoricaluncountablemedicineStraight threads obtained by unraveling old linen cloth, used for surgical dressings.
M. d'Arblay filled a Closet with Charpie, compresses, and bandages – All that to me was owned, as wanting, was an arm Chair and some Towels.
1812, Frances Burney, Journals and Letters, Penguin, published 2001, page 436
Origin
- Latincarpō“to pluck”
- Old Frenchcharpir“to pluck”
- Englishcharpie
From the feminine past participle of Old French charpir (“to pluck”), carpir (“to pluck”), from Latin carpō (“to pluck”). Compare carpet.
More words from Old French, Latin
Full word history & related roots →Rhymes & wordplay
Rhymes with charpie
All rhymes →Cite this entry
APA
charpie. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 3, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/charpie
MLA
“charpie.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/charpie. Accessed November 3, 2026.
Chicago
WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “charpie,” accessed November 3, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/charpie.
Source: charpie on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.