pucker

Meanings

1. 1
   verb

   to draw, or become drawn, into small tight wrinkles or folds

   She began to pucker her lips as if preparing to whistle.

2. 2
   noun

   a wrinkle, fold, or gathered area in skin, fabric, or another surface

   The tailor smoothed a pucker near the edge of the seam.

Simplified etymology

Pucker, recorded from the late 16th century, probably comes from the same French source as pocket. The gathered folds were apparently understood as resembling small pockets or pouches.

Of uncertain origin. It may continue Middle English pukkeren, once meaning to put away in a poke or bag, with a shift toward the gathered shape of a bag's mouth; it may instead be an alteration of poke. The comparison with purse supports the sense of drawing a surface into folds.

Topics

External links

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• Cambridge Dictionary
• Wiktionary