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shammy

[sham-ee]
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noun, plural sham·mies, verb, sham·mied, sham·my·ing.
  1. chamois(defs 2–4, 6, 7).
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Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2018

Examples from the Web for shammy

Historical Examples

  • Here was the "shammy," and if he would excuse her, she would make up her rolls.

    Pippin; A Wandering Flame

    Laura E. Richards

  • That's what I have decided to call my shammy when I get him because he will wiggle.

  • Josiah iled up the old double harness and washed the democrat off and rubbed it down with shammy skin till it shone like glass.

British Dictionary definitions for shammy

shammy

noun plural -mies
  1. informal another word for chamois (def. 3) Also called: shammy leather
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Word Origin

C18: variant, influenced by the pronunciation, of chamois
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

Word Origin and History for shammy

n.

1650s, phonetic spelling of chamois. Other bungled spellings include shambo (1610s), shamois, shamoys, shammies. Cf. shay from chaise; shappo (1700) for chapeau; shapperoon (1620s) for chaperon.

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Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2010 Douglas Harper