dust ruffle: Meaning and Definition of

dust' ruf"fle

1. a ruffle attached to the inside hem of a full-length petticoat or skirt to protect the bottom edge of the garment against dirt and wear, popular in the 19th and early 20th centuries.
2. a wide ruffle encircling the bottom perimeter of a bed and reaching to the floor, used decoratively or as protection against dust.