velveteen
/'velvi'ti:n/
Học thuậtThân thiện
Definition
Noun: 1. A fabric: A woven fabric, typically made of cotton, that has a short, dense pile on one side, giving it a soft, plush texture similar to velvet but usually less luxurious and more durable.
Usage and Examples
- Noun:
- She wore a dress made of soft, blue velveteen.
- The costume designer chose velveteen for the jackets because it looked rich but was affordable.
- This velveteen has a beautiful drape and a slight sheen.
Advanced Usage
- As a material descriptor: The term is often used to specify the material of an item, emphasizing its texture and appearance rather than true velvet.
- The velveteen rabbit was her favorite childhood toy. (This refers to a stuffed toy covered in velveteen fabric.)
- In historical/period contexts: Velveteen was commonly used in 19th and early 20th-century clothing, especially for children's wear, winter dresses, and decorative items.
Variants and Related Words
- Velvet (noun): A closely related fabric with a similar dense pile, but traditionally made from silk, making it more luxurious, softer, and often more expensive than velveteen.
- Corduroy (noun): Another cotton pile fabric, distinguished by its distinct raised ridges or "wales," unlike the uniform surface of velveteen.
- Pile (noun): The raised surface or nap of a fabric, consisting of upright loops or strands of yarn. Both velvet and velveteen have a cut pile.
Synonyms
- Cotton velvet: A direct synonym, though "velveteen" is the more common term.
- Fustian (archaic): Historically, a term for a variety of heavy woven fabrics, sometimes including pile fabrics like velveteen, but now largely obsolete.
Notes on Meaning
- The core meaning of velveteen is always tied to being a fabric or textile. It is not used as a verb or adjective in standard English.
- Its defining characteristic is its imitation of velvet using more practical and less expensive materials, primarily cotton.
Noun
- a usually cotton fabric with a short pile imitating velvet