Gauze
/ɡɔːz/noun
A thin, loosely woven fabric used for dressings, veils, and similar purposes.
Did you know?The English word likely came through French from a form linked to Gaza, showing how a place name could become the name of a fabric that later became essential in surgery and ritual dressing.
Etymological Timeline
Late Middle Ages
Old French
gaze
“A fine, sheer fabric”
Late Middle Ages
Middle French
gaze
“A thin woven cloth”
14th Century
English
gauze
“A light, transparent fabric”
Modern English
English
gauze
“A thin, loosely woven cloth or medical dressing”