The art or process of decorating fabric with patterns or pictures using needle and thread. It can also mean extra, often exaggerated details added to a story.
From Old French 'embroder' (to decorate with needlework), from 'en-' (in) + 'broder' (to edge, stitch). The noun form in English developed with the suffix '-ery.' The metaphorical sense of adding decorative details to stories came from the visual richness of cloth embroidery.
Try Another Word