English▸ noun
1 [in singular] an area of wooden panelling on the lower part of the walls of a room.
▪ [mass noun] British English historical imported oak of fine quality, used mainly to make panelling.
2 a drab yellowish to brown-coloured European moth.
Mythimna and other genera, family Noctuidae: several species.
▸ verb
( wainscots, wainscoting, wainscoted or wainscots, wainscotting, wainscotted)
[with object] line (a room or wall) with wooden panelling: the interior was to be wainscotted to a height of 4 feet
(wainscotted as adjective) round the wainscotted walls ran narrow benches.
– ORIGIN Middle English: from Middle Low German wagenschot, apparently from wagen ‘wagon’ + schot, probably meaning ‘partition’. wainscot (sense 2 of the noun) dates from the early 19th century.