la·pel (l?-p?l?)n. The part of a garment, such as a coat or jacket, that is an extension of the collar and folds back against the breast.[From lap.]la·peled?, la·pelled? adj.American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition. Copyright © 2016 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.lapel (l??p?l) n (Clothing & Fashion) the continuation of the turned or folded back collar on a suit coat, jacket, etc[C18: from lap1] la?pelled adjCollins English Dictionary ? Complete and Unabridged, 12th Edition 2014 © HarperCollins Publishers 1991, 1994, 1998, 2000, 2003, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2011, 2014la?pel (l??p?l) n. the front part of a garment, as a coat or shirt, that is folded back on the chest and is joined to a collar or forms one continuous piece with it. Compare revers (def. 1). [1780?90; irreg. diminutive of lap1; see -le] la?pelled?, adj. Random House Kernerman Webster’s College Dictionary, © 2010 K Dictionaries Ltd. Copyright 2005, 1997, 1991 by Random House, Inc. All rights reserved.