chintz
Americannoun
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a printed cotton fabric, glazed or unglazed, used especially for draperies.
-
a painted or stained calico from India.
noun
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a printed, patterned cotton fabric, with glazed finish
-
a painted or stained Indian calico
Etymology
Origin of chintz
1605–15; earlier chints, plural of chint < Gujarati chī̃ṭ
Explanation
Chintz is a simple cotton material that's often used to make curtains or throw pillows. It's common for chintz to be printed with big, colorful flowers. Frequently used in upholstery and other home decor, chintz is a lightly glazed, many-colored fabric. Traditionally, chintz was made from calico, a type of printed cotton, and featured a light background with bright floral patterns. This style of decorating is now known generally as chintz, whether it's dishes or wallpaper that feature bright flowers. The derogatory adjective chintzy, or "cheap," comes from the perceived low quality of chintz. The word has a Sanskrit root meaning "bright."
Vocabulary lists containing chintz
Pygmalion
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Wonderful Words from the Wizard of Oz
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Bea and the New Deal Horse
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Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
The Prince of Chintz, as a television reporter named Mr. Buatta in 1984, designed interiors for a certain kind of American royalty — for Doubledays, Forbes and Newhouses, two presidents and Mariah Carey.
From New York Times • Jan. 22, 2020
Today is MAC, of course — Chestnut lip liner, Chintz lipstick, my lips bronze like a new penny.
From Salon • Oct. 26, 2019
The stories in The Chintz Age are a monument to the New York he moved to and wanted to keep living in.
From The Guardian • May 24, 2016
He’s only recently published his first book of short stories, titled The Chintz Age.
From The Guardian • May 24, 2016
The Chintz Imp curled up his green legs and sat down beside her, his bright red eyes blinking thoughtfully.
From Soap-Bubble Stories For Children by Barry, Fanny
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
