Chenille

Part of speech: noun

Pronunciation: /ʃəˈniːl/

Definitions

1. A plush textile featuring a raised pile produced from tufted yarns that offers a soft, velvety touch often utilized in decorative upholstery and garments
2. A fabric recognized for its distinctively textured surface consisting of looped fibers, commonly applied in home furnishings and apparel
3. A type of soft fabric characterized by its velvety texture created from looped yarns, often used in furniture upholstery and clothing

Etymology: The French word "chenille" means "caterpillar," and it is the same word English uses for the fuzzy yarn. The link comes from appearance: the thick, looping pile of the fabric resembles the furry body of a caterpillar, so French speakers applied the insect's name to the cloth. The French noun descends from Latin "canicula," a diminutive of "canis," meaning "dog," and the same Latin source gave English "canicule," a word for the Dog Days of summer. Because the two English words come from one Latin ancestor by separate routes, they are doublets. "Chenille" is the one that kept the Latin sense of a small, furry creature, while "canicule" moved toward the hot days associated with the star Sirius, the Dog Star.

Synonyms: velvet, fabric