Definition

Noun: A paillasse is a thin mattress traditionally filled with inexpensive, readily available materials such as straw, hay, or sawdust. It is a simple, often rudimentary, form of bedding.

Usage

The word paillasse is used to refer specifically to this type of mattress. It is a somewhat dated term, often associated with historical, military, or spartan living conditions. * The soldier was provided with only a thin paillasse on the barracks floor. * In the 19th-century inn, the beds were little more than wooden frames with a paillasse on top.

Advanced Usage

• The term can be used metaphorically to evoke hardship, simplicity, or poverty.
  • His early years were spent on a paillasse, dreaming of a better life.

Variants and Related Words

• Palliasse: An alternative, equally correct spelling of the same word.
• Straw mattress: A more common descriptive term with the same meaning.

Synonyms

• Straw bed
• Pallet (in the sense of a makeshift bed)

Notes on Meaning

The core meaning of paillasse is a mattress filled with coarse, natural fibers. It is distinct from modern mattresses filled with springs, foam, or cotton. Its use implies a lack of comfort and luxury.

Noun

1. mattress consisting of a thin pad filled with straw or sawdust