Definition

Noun: A type of corduroy fabric characterized by having narrow, closely spaced ribs or ridges (called "wales").

Usage

This term is used specifically in the context of textiles and fashion to describe a particular finish of corduroy fabric. * The jacket was made from a soft, comfortable narrow wale corduroy. * Narrow wale is often preferred for shirts and dresses because it has a finer, less pronounced texture than wide wale corduroy.

Advanced Usage

The term is primarily technical and descriptive. Its usage is almost exclusively as a compound noun modifier before the name of a garment or textile product. * The designer's autumn collection featured narrow-wale trousers and blazers. (Note the optional hyphen when used as a compound adjective).

Variants and Related Words

• Wide wale (n.): Corduroy with broad, widely spaced ribs.
• Pinwale (n.): A synonym for narrow wale corduroy, often indicating the very finest ribs.
• Corduroy (n.): The general category of fabric with a ribbed, corded texture.
• Wale (n.): The individual raised cord or rib in fabrics like corduroy or velvet.

Synonyms

• Pinwale corduroy
• Fine-wale corduroy

Antonyms

• Wide wale
• Broadwale

Noun

1. corduroy with narrow ribs