polka dot

noun

pol·​ka dot ˈpō-kə-ˌdät How to pronounce polka dot (audio)
Synonyms of polka dotnext
: a dot in a pattern of regularly distributed dots in textile design
polka-dot adjective
or polka-dotted
ˈpō-kə-ˌdä-təd How to pronounce polka dot (audio)

Examples of polka dot in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
The 2000s look typically paired these bright palettes with bold prints like polka dots, stripes, and paisleys. — Kristina McGuirk, Better Homes & Gardens, 30 Aug. 2026 Yayoi Kusama, the Japanese artist known for her hypnotic, repetitive polka dot artworks, died earlier this week at the age of 97. — Jessica Gelt, Los Angeles Times, 28 Aug. 2026 Yayoi Kusama, the Japanese contemporary artist internationally renowned for her polka dots, pumpkin sculptures, and Infinity Mirror Rooms, has died at the age of 97. — Livia Caligor, Architectural Digest, 27 Aug. 2026 The theme of self-obliteration carried over into a 1968 film by Kusama of the same title, in which polka dots flowed out of her paintings and onto people’s bodies. — News Desk, Artforum, 27 Aug. 2026 See All Example Sentences for polka dot

Word History

First Known Use

1857, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of polka dot was in 1857

Rhymes for polka dot

See All Rhymes for polka dot

Browse Nearby Words

polka
polka dot
polka mazurka
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Cite this Entry

“Polka dot.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/polka%20dot. Accessed 1 Sep. 2026.

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Kids Definition

polka dot

noun
pol·​ka dot ˈpō-kə- How to pronounce polka dot (audio)
: a dot in a textile pattern of evenly spaced dots

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