fichu

American  

[fish-oo, fee-shy] / ˈfɪʃ u, fiˈʃü /

noun

plural

fichus

1. a woman's kerchief or shawl, generally triangular in shape, worn draped over the shoulders or around the neck with the ends drawn together on the breast.

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fichu British  

/ ˈfiːʃuː /

noun

1. a woman's shawl or scarf of some light material, worn esp in the 18th century

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Etymology

Origin of fichu

1795–1805; < French: noun use of fichu, past participle of ficher to drive in, fix (informally, to throw, fling; hence, something put on hastily, loosely attached) < Vulgar Latin *fīgicāre, for Latin fīgere; finca

Example Sentences

By the end of the day, she persuaded me to buy her a yellow linen dress with a tie in the back and a fichu, a white triangle of cloth tucked into the neckline.

From New York Times • Sep. 12, 2013

But the feeling of that giddy costume extravaganza came through only in an airy cream and ivory palette and in shapes suggesting trim court breeches and dainty fichu collars.

From New York Times • Mar. 4, 2010

The result was inspired to the last detail�"the neat black silk dress, the tortoise-shell comb, the white fichu fastened with a cameo brooch," the perpetual smile, the sagacious and composed elderly features.

From Time Magazine Archive

Another woman tried on an exquisite Arlesian fichu.

From Time Magazine Archive

Did you buy that fichu on the Campo dei Fiori?

From Boris Lensky by Schubin, Ossip

Related Words

• cloth
• scarf
• stole