Grossgrain

Part of speech: noun

Definitions

1. A heavy, stiff fabric with prominent cross-ribs, traditionally woven from silk or rayon and used chiefly to make ribbons and trimmings
2. Strong ribbed cloth with a pronounced horizontal cord, typically of silk or synthetic fiber, commonly employed for decorative ribbon work
3. A firm woven material featuring coarse transverse ridges, usually made of silk or rayon, that is often cut into ribbons and bands

Etymology: The name is French, from "gros grain," literally "large grain" or "coarse grain." Despite the sound, the grain has nothing to do with cereal. It refers to the fabric's surface, a close series of heavy, ridged cross-threads that run across the cloth. The word is a fitting description of that texture. The fabric is typically woven from silk or a silk blend, and the prominent ribs give it a stiff, lustrous body that holds its shape. It is widely used for ribbons and for the trim on formal clothing. Here "grain" means the rib pattern of the weave, a sense borrowed from the French textile trade.