calico

American  

[kal-i-koh] / ˈkæl ɪˌkoʊ /

noun

calicoes, plural calicos plural

1. a plain-woven cotton cloth printed with a figured pattern, usually on one side.

2. British. plain white cotton cloth.

3. an animal having a spotted or particolored coat.

4. Obsolete. a figured cotton cloth from India.

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adjective

1. made of calico.

2. resembling printed calico; spotted or mottled.

calico British  

/ ˈkælɪˌkəʊ /

noun

1. a white or unbleached cotton fabric with no printed design

2. a coarse printed cotton fabric

3. (modifier) made of calico

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Other Word Forms

Inflected Forms

noun

• calicoes
  plural
• calicos
  plural

Etymology

Origin of calico

1495–1505; short for Calico cloth, variant of Calicut cloth, named after city in India which originally exported it

Explanation

You can call anything with bright colors and patches calico like your cute calico cat or your colorful calico quilt. There are many fabrics in the world, including silk, cashmere, and denim. Another is calico, which is made from cotton fibers and is printed, meaning it has designs or pictures on it. A calico dress may be printed with purple flowers or have another wild design. Because calico is brightly colored, this word also describes just about anything decorated brightly. As an adjective, calico means something close to motley or multi-colored. A calico design is varied and anything but boring.

Related Words

• cotton
• goods
• material
• stuff