noun. A heavy cotton fabric, typically with a floral pattern printed on one or both sides, used for upholstery. Example sentences. 1  It was furnished like the maid's rooms and the bed here was of painted iron with a cretonne bedspread.2  The outer cover has a top of floral and striped cretonne and a backing of faded pink cotton. It was furnished like the maid's rooms and the bed here was of painted iron with a cretonne bedspread. 2  The outer cover has a top of floral and striped cretonne and a backing of faded pink cotton. 3  But the cretonnes and tapestries of Merton are coarse and almost clumsy compared with these exquisite stuffs.