# draper

/ˈdɹeɪpɝ/ (US) · /dɹˈeɪpɐ/ (UK) · CEFR C2 · Noun

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/draper
Updated: 2026-08-15

## Definition

a person who sells cloth and materials for making clothes. You might also find them selling items like curtains or bedding.

For teachers: a person who deals in cloth or textile fabrics. Historically associated with the retail trade of dry goods and clothing materials.

## Examples

- The draper showed us several rolls of fine silk.
- Before the rise of ready-to-wear clothing stores, every town had a local draper where residents bought fabric for their suits.
- The protagonist of the novel begins his career as an apprentice to a master draper, learning to distinguish between various weights of wool and linen by touch alone.

## Usage notes

- Primarily British English; largely considered an old-fashioned or historical term in modern contexts.

---

From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.