felt

UK: fɛlt | US: fɛlt

Definition

  1. n. a fabric made of compressed wool or other fibers

  2. v. past tense and past participle of "feel"

  3. adj. (rare) perceived emotionally or intuitively

Structure
feel <perceive>t <past tense suffix>
Etymology

The noun "felt" traces back to Proto-Germanic feltaz, referring to compressed wool. It retains its original spelling and meaning. The verb form derives from Old English fēlan ("to feel"), with the "-t" suffix marking past tense (akin to "dealt" or "kept"). Though homonyms, their etymological paths diverged early.

Examples

  1. She wore a hat made of felt to stay warm.

  2. He felt a sudden pain in his chest.

  3. The artist used felt pads to protect the table.

  4. They felt relieved after hearing the news.

  5. Ancient cultures felt wool to create durable textiles.