chamois

American  

[sham-ee, sha-mwah] / ˈʃæm i, ʃaˈmwɑ /

noun

plural

chamois, chamoix

1. an agile, goatlike antelope, Rupicapra rupicapra, of high mountains of Europe: now rare in some areas.

2. a soft, pliable leather from any of various skins dressed with oil, especially fish oil, originally prepared from the skin of the chamois.

3. a piece of this leather.

4. a cotton cloth finished to simulate this leather.

5. a medium to grayish yellow color.

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verb (used with object)

chamoised, chamoising

1. to dress (a pelt) with oil in order to produce a chamois.

2. to rub or buff with a chamois.

chamois British  

/ ˈʃæmɪ, ʃamwa /

noun

1. a sure-footed goat antelope, Rupicapra rupicapra, inhabiting mountains of Europe and SW Asia, having vertical horns with backward-pointing tips

2. a soft suede leather formerly made from the hide of this animal, now obtained from the skins of sheep and goats

3. Also called: chamois leather.   shammy.   shammy leather.   chammy.   chammy leather.  a piece of such leather or similar material used for polishing, etc

4. 1. a yellow to greyish-yellow colour

   2. (as modifier)

      a chamois stamp

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verb

1. to dress (leather or skin) like chamois

2. to polish with a chamois

Etymology

Origin of chamois

First recorded in 1525–35; from Middle French, from Late Latin camox, presumably of pre-Latin origin; gems

Example Sentences

Pia Anderwald, a researcher with the Swiss National Park in Zernez, Switzerland, who studies antelope-like chamois and other hoofed Alpine mammals, was not surprised by the number of goat avalanche deaths in the study.

From New York Times

To have a basis for comparing the neanderthal's results, the study also examined other animals from the region, including carnivores like wolves and lynxes and herbivores like rabbits and chamois.

From Salon

The man tucked the squeegee and chamois in his back pant pocket, picked up the bucket and brush, and headed toward the van.

From Literature

When he returned, she handed him a chamois cloth to clean them with.

From New York Times

I moved the soapy sponge over the Datsun’s sinuous metalwork, dried it with a chamois, anointed it with Turtle Wax.

From Washington Post