cashmere
1 Americannoun
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the fine, downy wool at the roots of the hair of the Kashmir goat.
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a garment made of this wool.
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a yarn made from this wool.
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a wool or cashmere fabric of plain or twill weave.
noun
noun
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a fine soft wool from goats of the Kashmir area
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cloth or knitted material made from this or similar wool
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( as modifier )
a cashmere sweater
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noun
Other Word Forms
- Cashmerian adjective
Etymology
Origin of cashmere
First recorded in 1815–25; named after Cashmere
Explanation
Cashmere is an extremely soft wool that comes from a particular kind of goat. The goat itself is also called a cashmere. When you knit a sweater from cashmere, you end up with a garment that's much softer and less itchy than regular wool. You can use the same word when you describe the fabric itself, and things made with it: "I want a red cashmere scarf for my birthday." In the 17th century, the word specifically meant "a cashmere shawl," from Kashmir, the region of the Himalayas where this type of goat originated.
Vocabulary lists containing cashmere
Wish
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Out Of Whole Cloth: Material Words
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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 collection brings a feminine touch to tailored classics that the house is known for, with wool cashmere coats and wide-leg slouch pants.
From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 3, 2026
‘Humanize me a little,” says the petite woman in a cashmere sweater at the end of a forthright, occasionally spiky interview.
From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 27, 2026
William, dressed in a dark blue knee-length coat and cashmere sweater, stepped out and worked the crowd.
From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 11, 2026
The exquisitely soft cashmere pieces in classic styles now come in over 20 shades inspired by Sergio Loro Piana’s personal wardrobe.
From Los Angeles Times • Mar. 3, 2026
He was wearing a maroon cashmere muffler which had hiked up on his neck, giving him next to no protection against the cold.
From "Franny and Zooey" by J. D. Salinger
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.
