Velveteen
/ˌvɛlvəˈtiːn/noun
A cotton fabric with a short, dense pile resembling velvet.
Did you know?Velveteen is not true velvet: velvet traditionally has a pile formed from extra warp threads, while velveteen is usually made from extra weft threads.
Etymological Timeline
Proto-Indo-European
PIE
*wel-
“To tear, pluck, or strip—possibly connected with removing wool or hair.”
Classical Latin
Latin
villus
“A tuft of hair, shaggy covering, or fleece-like surface.”
Medieval Latin
Latin
villūtus
“Hairy or covered with a shaggy surface.”
12th–13th Century
Old French
velu / velous
“Hairy, shaggy, or made with a pile.”
14th Century
French
velvet
“A rich, soft pile fabric; the English textile word developed from this French form.”
1770s
English
velveteen
“A cotton fabric made to resemble velvet, formed with velvet plus the material suffix “-een”.”