percale

[ per-keyl ]

noun

a closely woven, smooth-finished, plain or printed cotton cloth, used for bed sheets, clothing, etc.

Origin of percale

1615–25; <French <Persian pargāla rag; replacing percalla<Persian

Words Nearby percale

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

How to use percale in a sentence

A percale weave is super durable and made using a criss-cross, over-under pattern.
Best sheets: Choose the right bed linens for a good night’s sleep | Carsen Joenk | December 18, 2020 | Popular-Science
She would buy so and so many yards of percale for new shirt waists for the boys and Janie and Mag.
The Awakening and Selected Short Stories | Kate Chopin
percale is a closely woven fabric made with a good quality of cotton yarn.
Textiles | William H. Dooley
They wore gowns of gay-colored percale, short, and confined at the waist, and around their shoulders silk handkerchiefs.
Pepita Ximenez | Juan Valera
Did you ever have a calico apron or dress of percale or cambric on which the pattern showed on one side only?
Clothing and Health | Helen Kinne

Cette indienne est une sorte de percale ou toile de coton peinte, dont il y a plusieurs fabriques en Catalogne.
The Arts and Crafts of Older Spain, Volume III (of 3) | Leonard Williams

British Dictionary definitions for percale

percale

/ (pəˈkeɪl, -ˈkɑːl) /

noun

a close-textured woven cotton fabric, plain or printed, used esp for sheets

Origin of percale

C17: via French from Persian pargālah piece of cloth

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Browse