wreath / rē[unvoicedth]/ • n. (pl. wreaths / rē[voicedth]z; rē[unvoicedth]s/ ) an arrangement of flowers, leaves, or stems fastened in a ring and used for decoration or for laying on a grave. ∎  a carved representation of such a wreath. ∎  a similar ring made of or resembling soft, twisted material: a gold wreath. ∎  a curl or ring of smoke or cloud: wreaths of mist swirled up into the cold air.

wreath.
1. Curved portion of the handrail following a turn around each angle of a geometrical stair (which has no newels), or the continuous turn of the handrail in such a circular or elliptical stair.

2. Circular or elliptical garland of flowers, leaves, or ribbons, used in Classical decoration.

wreath
A. twisted band or coil OE.; bank or drift of snow XVIII;

B. chaplet or garland of flowers, leaves, etc. XVI. OE. wriða, f. reduced var. of the base of WRITHE.
So wreathe twist, coil. XVI. perh. back-formation f. wreathen (XIV) arranged in coils or curves, ME. wrēthen, OE. wriðen, pp. of wrīðan WRITHE.

Wreath

a garland or intertwined chaplet; a drift of snow or sand.

Examples: wreaths of fire, 1789; wreath of flowers; of sand; of sea, 1875; of smoke, 1859; of snow, 1725; of vapour, 1794; of worms, 1684.