moiré

/mwaˈɹeɪ/

noun

A pattern that emerges when two grids are superimposed over one another, sometimes unintended or undesirable in many applications, such as in weaving, screenprinting, and halftoning.

OriginFrench moiré ← English mohair →
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Meanings

nounmoiré (countable and uncountable, plural moirés)

plural moirés

  1. countableuncountableA pattern that emerges when two grids are superimposed over one another, sometimes unintended or undesirable in many applications, such as in weaving, screenprinting, and halftoning.
  2. countableuncountableA fabric, often silk, which has a watery or wavelike appearance.
verbmoiré (third-person singular simple present moirés, present participle moiréing, simple past and past participle moiréed or moiréd)

present singular third person moirés · participle present moiréing · participle past moiréed · past moiréed · participle past moiréd · past moiréd

  1. transitiveTo give a watered or clouded appearance to (a surface).

Origin

  1. Englishmohair
  2. Frenchmoire
  3. Frenchmoiré
  4. Englishmoiré

Borrowed from French moiré (“watered, clouded”).

More words from French

Full word history & related roots →

Translations

Finnish interferenssikuvio, moaree
  • interferenssikuviopattern
  • moareefabric
  • moiréfabric
Polish mora, mora
  • morapattern
  • morafabric

Rhymes & wordplay

Rhymes with moiré

amaymedayrewaytodaykjlasayplayzpayawaydisplaystaybayoksurveyleDJraylingerie
All rhymes →
Cite this entry
APA

moiré. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 4, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/moir%C3%A9

MLA

“moiré.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/moir%C3%A9. Accessed November 4, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “moiré,” accessed November 4, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/moir%C3%A9.

Source: moiré on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.