Definition

Noun 1. A fine, closely woven white linen or cotton fabric: Cambric is a lightweight, plain-weave cloth, originally made from linen but now often made from cotton. It is known for being smooth, durable, and having a slight stiffness or crispness.

Examples of Usage

• Noun:
  • The handkerchief was made of the finest cambric.
  • Her summer dress was sewn from lightweight cambric.
  • Historically, cambric was a popular fabric for fine shirts, handkerchiefs, and undergarments.

Advanced Usage

• "Cambric tea": A North American term for a hot drink for children, made of warm milk, sugar, and a small amount of weak tea (or sometimes just milk and sugar), humorously named for its pale, milky color resembling the fabric.
  • When she was a child, her grandmother would give her cambric tea before bed.

Variants and Related Words

• Batiste: A very similar, lightweight, plain-woven fabric, often considered even softer and finer than cambric. The terms are sometimes used interchangeably.

Synonyms

• Linen (when referring to the original fabric type)
• Muslin (a similar plain-weave cotton, but typically less fine and more gauzy)
• Lawn (a similar fine, crisp cotton fabric)

Notes on Different Meanings

• The primary and almost exclusive meaning of "cambric" refers to the type of fabric. It is a material noun.
• The term is not commonly used in modern everyday language but remains in use within textiles, historical contexts, and certain fixed phrases like "cambric tea."

Noun

1. a finely woven white linen