polka dot

UK/ˈpɒl.kə ˌdɒt/UK/ˈpəʊ.kə ˌdɒt/US/ˈpoʊ.kə ˌdɑt/

noun

Any of a number of uniform round dots, repeated to make a regular geometric pattern on a fabric.

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Meanings

nounpolka dot (plural polka dots)

plural polka dots · alternative polka-dot · alternative polkadot

  1. Any of a number of uniform round dots, repeated to make a regular geometric pattern on a fabric.

    …these have entirely disappeared, and we see them with the old time white polka dot, always pretty clean and neat looking.

    1871, Godey’s magazine, volumes 86-87, page 389
verbpolka dot (third-person singular simple present polka dots, present participle polka dotting, simple past and past participle polka dotted)

present singular third person polka dots · participle present polka dotting · participle past polka dotted · past polka dotted · alternative polka-dot · alternative polkadot

  1. transitiveTo cover as with polka dots.

Origin

First use appears in the US c. 1857 in the publication Godey's Lady's Book. Named after the polka dance, which was popular at the time (1840–1890). Numerous composites were formed posteriorly, but those names have not endured.

Full word history & related roots →

Translations

Bulgarian десен на точки
  • десен на точки (desen na točki)uniform round dots forming a pattern on fabric
Catalan pic
  • picuniform round dots forming a pattern on fabric
Chinese Mandarin 波爾卡圓點 /波尔卡圆点, 波爾卡點 /波尔卡点
  • 波爾卡圓點 /波尔卡圆点 (bō'ěrkǎ yuándiǎn)uniform round dots forming a pattern on fabric
  • 波爾卡點 /波尔卡点 (bō'ěrkǎ diǎn)uniform round dots forming a pattern on fabric
  • 波點 /波点 (bōdiǎn)uniform round dots forming a pattern on fabric
French pois
  • poisuniform round dots forming a pattern on fabric
German Punktmuster
  • Punktmusteruniform round dots forming a pattern on fabric
Irish polcaphonc
  • polcaphoncuniform round dots forming a pattern on fabric
Italian pois
  • poisuniform round dots forming a pattern on fabric
Japanese 水玉模様, 水玉
  • 水玉模様 (mizutama moyō)uniform round dots forming a pattern on fabric
  • 水玉 (mizutama)uniform round dots forming a pattern on fabric
Polish grochy
  • grochyuniform round dots forming a pattern on fabric
Russian узо́р в горо́шек, горо́шек
  • узо́р в горо́шек (uzór v goróšek)uniform round dots forming a pattern on fabric
  • горо́шек (goróšek)uniform round dots forming a pattern on fabric
Spanish lunar, topo
  • lunaruniform round dots forming a pattern on fabric
  • topouniform round dots forming a pattern on fabric
  • motauniform round dots forming a pattern on fabric
  • pintauniform round dots forming a pattern on fabric
Vietnamese chấm bi polka
  • chấm bi polkauniform round dots forming a pattern on fabric
Welsh smotyn crwn
  • smotyn crwnuniform round dots forming a pattern on fabric
Cite this entry
APA

polka dot. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 4, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/polka%20dot

MLA

“polka dot.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/polka%20dot. Accessed November 4, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “polka dot,” accessed November 4, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/polka%20dot.

Source: polka dot on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.