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

1. a usually cotton fabric with a short pile imitating velvet