muslin
Americannoun
noun
Other Word Forms
- undermuslin noun
Etymology
Origin of muslin
1600–10; < French mousseline < Italian mussolina, equivalent to Mussol ( o ) Mosul, Iraq (where first made) + -ina -ine 1
Compare meaning
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Explanation
Muslin is a kind of cotton fabric that's plain and lightweight. Designers and dressmakers often use muslin to make inexpensive sample garments for fitting. Perfecting designs using muslin is so common that the practice garment itself is often referred to as a muslin: "Here, try on this muslin before we cut the pattern out of the silk." The word muslin comes from the French mousseline, which is rooted in Mosul, the city in Iraq where Western traders first encountered the fabric. This ancient muslin was a luxurious material, while today's is much more ordinary and affordable.
Vocabulary lists containing muslin
Lyddie
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"The Little Mermaid" by Hans Christian Andersen
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Prairie Lotus
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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.
Tucked into a pocket, the muslin pouch has kept my wool winter overcoat smelling fresh—and reminding me of Paris—all season.
From The Wall Street Journal • Feb. 14, 2026
With stars from Nicole Kidman to Dua Lipa looking on, the first outfits made abundant use of sheer silk muslin alongside Chanel tweeds before the arrival of more whimsical, avian-inspired styles.
From Barron's • Jan. 27, 2026
Descriptions of the cornfield’s hand-painted muslin background make it sound like a proto-Rothko.
From Los Angeles Times • Sep. 3, 2025
Once bound in muslin cloth and sealed with a layer of lard, Hafod is aged for 18 months.
From BBC • Nov. 10, 2024
The big metal pots sat on the counter covered with muslin cloth to keep the bugs off while it cooled.
From "Root Magic" by Eden Royce
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.
