Definition

1. Noun:
   • A stiff, rough fabric woven from horsehair or camel hair: Haircloth is a type of textile made from the hair of animals like horses or camels. It is known for its coarse texture and rigidity, which makes it unsuitable for typical clothing but useful for specific structural purposes.

Usage Examples

• Noun:
  • The antique chair was reupholstered using traditional haircloth.
  • Tailors in the past sometimes used haircloth to provide stiffness in the shoulders of jackets.

Advanced Usage

• Historical and specialized use: Haircloth is primarily associated with historical upholstery, bookbinding, and vintage garment construction where stiffness was desired. It is rarely used in modern everyday textiles.
  • The conservator carefully replaced the deteriorated haircloth lining in the 19th-century bodice.

Variants and Related Words

• Hair (noun): The filamentous material from which haircloth is made.
• Horsehair (noun): A common type of hair used to make haircloth; also used directly for stuffing upholstery.
• Camel hair (noun): Another type of hair used in weaving haircloth and other fabrics.

Synonyms

• Horsehair fabric: A more descriptive synonym.
• Crinoline (in some historical contexts): While crinoline often refers to a stiffened petticoat, it was originally made from haircloth.

Notes on Meaning

• The term refers specifically to the woven cloth itself. It is not used to describe a person's hair or a piece of cloth made from human hair in standard English. Its usage is almost entirely technical or historical.

Noun

1. cloth woven from horsehair or camelhair; used for upholstery or stiffening in garments