Taffeta
/ˈtæf.ɪ.tə/noun
A crisp, plain-woven fabric with a smooth, lustrous finish, often made from silk or synthetic fibers.
Did you know?Taffeta’s name comes from a Persian word for a woven, twisted fabric, showing how elite textiles often carried their names across empires along trade routes.
Etymological Timeline
Modern English
English
taffeta
“A crisp, smooth, lustrous fabric”
16th Century
French
taffetas
“Silk taffeta; a fine, glossy fabric”
Medieval Latin
Latin
taffeta
“A fine silk fabric”
Persian
fa
taftah
“Woven cloth; taffeta-like fabric”
Earlier Persian
fa
taftan
“To weave; to twist”