Chenille
/ʃəˈniːl/noun
A soft, tufted yarn or fabric made with short protruding fibers, often used for decorative textiles.
Did you know?Chenille comes from French chenille, “caterpillar,” because the yarn’s fuzzy pile was imagined to look like a caterpillar’s body — a perfect example of a word turning texture into magic.
Etymological Timeline
Latin
Latin
canicula
“little dog”
Old French
Old French
chanele
“caterpillar”
18th Century
French
chenille
“caterpillar; later, a fuzzy pile yarn or fabric”
Modern English
English
chenille
“a soft, fuzzy yarn or fabric with a pile surface”
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