ourlet
/uʁ.lɛ/
The English phrase "hemming" is translated into French as ourlet.
The word ourlet refers to the finished edge of a piece of fabric that has been folded and sewn to prevent fraying.
How does it change in a sentence?
The noun ourlet is derived from the verb ourler, which means "to hem".
How do you pronounce it?
/uʁ.lɛ/
Did you know?
- The verb ourler can be used to describe the natural borders of a landscape, such as a coastline or a forest, that frames a piece of land like a hem.
- In high fashion, specifically within the French Haute Couture tradition, an ourlet is often hand-stitched using a hidden technique called point invisible to make the seam disappear completely.
- While ourlet describes the physical hem, the verb ourler is rarely used in modern casual conversation, with most people preferring the phrase faire un ourlet instead.
Examples in context
- Je suis en train d'ourler ma jupe.I am hemming my skirt.
- Je vais faire un ourlet à ce pantalon.I'm going to hem these pants.
- Tu devrais faire un ourlet à cette robe.You should hem this dress.
- Il faut raccourcir ce pantalon.This pair of pants needs hemming.
- Cette robe a un bel ourlet.This dress has a nice hem.
- faire un ourletTo do a hem
- L'ourlet de cette jupe est très propre.The hem of this skirt is very neat.
- Je dois refaire l'ourlet de mon pantalon.I need to redo the hem of my pants.
- Elle a fait un ourlet à la main.She did a hand-sewn hem.
Example conversation
Chloé and Gabriel are at a clothing repair shop.
- ChloéEst-ce que tu peux faire un ourlet sur ce pantalon ?Can you do a hem on these pants?
- GabrielOui, je peux m'en occuper demain, Chloé.Yes, I can take care of it tomorrow, Chloé.
- ChloéMerci, l'ourlet est très important pour la coupe.Thank you, the hem is very important for the fit.
- GabrielJe comprends, je ferai attention, Chloé.I understand, I will be careful, Chloé.
Sources
- Pronunciation: Wiktionary entry ourlet, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
