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percale

American

[per-kayl] / pərˈkeɪl /

noun

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

percale British

/ pəˈkeɪl, -ˈkɑːl /

noun

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

"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

Etymology

Origin of percale

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

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.

See Examples For:

percale

But what I really splurged on were my percale sheets, matching duvet cover, and the most cloud-like comforter imaginable to make the place where I lay my head at night the happiest place to be.

From Salon ● Jul. 18, 2022

Kaye likes the classic choice, percale, which she says has “more of a cool hand feel.”

From Washington Post ● Nov. 2, 2021

It’s made from linen and percale, so it’s the ideal weight for getting cozy.

From Seattle Times ● Jun. 12, 2020

The Threshold Performance sheets aren’t quite as nice as our favorite percale and sateen sets, but in our tests they performed better than sets four times the price.

From Slate ● Sep. 21, 2018

The other women had on percale and calico with here and there a headrag among the older ones.

From "Their Eyes Were Watching God" by Zora Neale Hurston

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Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023