Sateen

Part of speech: noun

Pronunciation: /səˈtiːn/

Definitions

1. A smooth and glossy fabric, typically woven from cotton, that mimics satin in appearance and is often utilized for garments or home furnishings
2. A textile known for its lustrous surface made from cotton, which resembles satin and is commonly used in apparel or upholstery
3. A type of cotton cloth woven to create a smooth, shiny surface similar to satin, often used in clothing and home textiles

Etymology: Sateen is, in effect, a respelling of satin that took hold in the 19th century. The fabric itself was already well known by then, and the new spelling was a variant of the older name rather than a new material. Its ending seems to have been shaped by analogy with velveteen, another cotton fabric made to imitate a costlier cloth, so the word reads like a cheaper cousin of its model. The mimicry in the meaning is the key to the story. Satin was traditionally a silk weave, prized for its glossy surface, and sateen reproduces that sheen in cotton, usually with a sateen weave that floats the weft threads over the warp to catch the light. The name thus carries the look of the luxury fabric while describing a more affordable one.

Synonyms: satin, silk, fabric, textile, material