Flannelettes

Part of speech: noun

Definitions

1. A type of soft, brushed fabric often used for making clothing and bedding that offers warmth and comfort
2. A lightweight textile made from cotton or a cotton blend, characterized by a fuzzy surface and commonly used in loungewear
3. A cozy material featuring a napped finish, ideal for sleepwear and blankets, providing a gentle feel against the skin

Etymology: "Flannelettes" is the plural of "flannelette," a cotton fabric with a brushed, fuzzy surface that imitates the softer wool flannel. The singular is formed from "flannel" plus the suffix "-ette," which in English means a smaller or imitation version of something, as in "kitchenette" or "majorette." So the fabric is, roughly speaking, a little or cheaper flannel. The suffix itself came into English through Old French from Latin "-ittus," a diminutive ending, so the word's structure reaches back to Latin even though the fabric is far more recent than that. The pattern is the point here: "flannelette" was coined as a trade name for a cheaper substitute, and its meaning rests entirely on the older word it imitates.

Synonyms: fabrics, textiles, materials, cloths, linens