taffeta

taffeta
/taf"i teuh/, n.
1. a medium-weight or light-weight fabric of acetate, nylon, rayon, or silk, usually smooth, crisp, and lustrous, plain-woven, and with a fine crosswise rib effect.
2. any of various other fabrics of silk, linen, wool, etc., in use at different periods.
adj.
3. of or resembling taffeta.
[1325-75; ME taffata < ML Pers taftah silken or linen cloth, n. use of ptp. of taftan to twist, spin]

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▪ fabric
      fine, crisp plain-woven fabric with a faint weft, or filling-way, rib due to the greater number of warp threads than filling threads. It frequently has a lustrous surface. There are two distinct types of silk taffeta: yarn-dyed and piece-dyed. Yarn-dyed taffeta has a stiff handle and a rustle known as scroop, or froufrou. It is used for evening dresses and for underskirts for couture dresses in chiffon or georgette and is also used for academic hood linings. Piece-dyed taffeta, which is soft and washable, is a favourite fabric for linings. It is also used for electrical insulation, and a particularly strong form was much used for parachutes during World War II.

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Universalium. 2010.

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Look at other dictionaries:

  • Taffeta — (formerly sometimes spelled taffety) is a crisp, smooth woven fabric made from silk or synthetic fibers. The word is Persian in origin, and means twisted woven. It is considered to be a high end fabric, suitable for use in ball gowns, wedding… …   Wikipedia

  • taffeta — [taf′i tə] n. [ME taffata < OFr taffetas < It taffetà < Pers tāftah, woven < tāftan, to weave, spin, shine] a fine, rather stiff fabric of silk, nylon, acetate, etc., with a sheen adj. like or made of taffeta …   English World dictionary

  • Taffeta — Taf fe*ta, Taffety Taf fe*ty, n. [F. taffetas, It. taffet[ a], from Per. t[=a]ftah, originally, twisted, woven, from t[=a]ftan to twist, to spin.] A fine, smooth stuff of silk, having usually the wavy luster called watering. The term has also… …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • taffeta — (n.) late 14c., from O.Fr. taffetas (early 14c.), from It. taffeta, ultimately from Pers. taftah silk or linen cloth, noun use of taftah, pp. of taftan to shine, also to twist, spin. Applied to different fabrics at different times (and Cf.… …   Etymology dictionary

  • Taffeta — Taffeta, ein seidenglänzend appretierter Baumwollenstoff mit 30–33 Fäden auf 1 cm aus Garnen Nr. 36–40 engl …   Meyers Großes Konversations-Lexikon

  • taffeta — ► NOUN ▪ a fine lustrous silk or similar synthetic fabric. ORIGIN Latin, from a Persian word meaning to shine …   English terms dictionary

  • taffeta — [[t]tæ̱fɪtə[/t]] N UNCOUNT Taffeta is shiny stiff material made of silk or nylon that is used mainly for making women s clothes …   English dictionary

  • taffeta — taf•fe•ta [[t]ˈtæf ɪ tə[/t]] n. pl. tas, adj. 1) tex a smooth, crisp, usu. lustrous fabric of silk, rayon, acetate, or various other fibers, in plain weave, with a fine horizontal rib 2) tex of or resembling taffeta • Etymology: 1325–75; ME… …   From formal English to slang

  • taffeta — /ˈtæfətə / (say tafuhtuh) noun 1. a lustrous silk or rayon fabric of plain weave. 2. any of various other fabrics of silk, linen, wool, etc., in use at different periods. –adjective 3. of or resembling taffeta. {Middle English taffata, from… …  

  • taffeta — noun Etymology: Middle English taffata, from Anglo French, from Old Italian taffettà, from Turkish tafta, from Persian tāftah woven Date: 14th century a crisp plain woven lustrous fabric of various fibers used especially for women s clothing …   New Collegiate Dictionary

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