damask
Americannoun
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a reversible fabric of linen, silk, cotton, or wool, woven with patterns.
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napery of this material.
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Metallurgy.
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Also called damask steel. Damascus steel.
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the pattern or wavy appearance peculiar to the surface of such steel.
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the pink color of the damask rose.
adjective
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made of or resembling damask.
damask cloth.
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of the pink color of the damask rose.
verb (used with object)
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to damascene.
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to weave or adorn with elaborate design, as damask cloth.
noun
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a reversible fabric, usually silk or linen, with a pattern woven into it. It is used for table linen, curtains, etc
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table linen made from this
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( as modifier )
a damask tablecloth
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short for Damascus steel
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the wavy markings on such steel
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the greyish-pink colour of the damask rose
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( as adjective )
damask wallpaper
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verb
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of damask
1200–50; Middle English damaske < Medieval Latin damascus, named after Damascus where fabrics were first made
Explanation
Damask is a luxurious, heavy fabric that's often used to upholster furniture. Your grandparents love their new kitten so much that they don't even mind her clawing holes in their damask curtains. The word damask comes from Damascus, the Syrian city where this kind of fabric was originally made — it literally means "cloth from Damascus." Damask was one of the main styles of weaving during the early Middle Ages, and it has been a popular choice for fancy clothing, table coverings, and home decor ever since. Today some damask is made of synthetic material, but historically it was most often made from silk.
Vocabulary lists containing damask
Flowers for Algernon
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The Witch of Blackbird Pond
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Fabulous Fabrics
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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.
Across the landing, the Yellow Room also boasts expensive furnishings, especially the bed, which is covered in bright yellow damask, re-creating a bed Washington acquired in 1758.
From The Wall Street Journal • Feb. 7, 2026
And by 09:00, patriarchs and cardinals will congregate in Saint Sebastian Chapel, in the basilica, wearing white damask miters.
From BBC • Apr. 22, 2025
Opie’s backdrop is a damask drapery in dark green, red’s vivifying complementary color.
From Los Angeles Times • Jan. 31, 2024
The silk damask draperies and sumptuous beds felt opulent and a nice flourish to the end of the byway and a way to rest up before heading back to Seattle the next day.
From Seattle Times • Aug. 19, 2023
He then sat down in a red damask chair, crossed his legs, and put his hands to his face.
From "Nine Stories" 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.
