taffeta

[ taf-i-tuh ]

noun

1. a medium-weight or light-weight fabric of acetate, nylon, rayon, or silk, usually smooth, crisp, and lustrous, plain-woven, and with a fine crosswise rib effect.
2. any of various other fabrics of silk, linen, wool, etc., in use at different periods.

adjective

1. of or resembling taffeta.

taffeta

/ ˈtæfɪtə /

noun

1. 1. a crisp lustrous plain-weave silk, rayon, etc, used esp for women's clothes
   2. ( as modifier )

      a taffeta petticoat

2. any of various similar fabrics

Word History and Origins

Origin of taffeta¹

1325–75; Middle English taffata < Medieval Latin ≪ Persian tāftah silken or linen cloth, noun use of past participle of tāftan to twist, spin

Word History and Origins

Origin of taffeta¹

C14: from Medieval Latin taffata, from Persian tāftah spun, from tāftan to spin

Example Sentences

In the Forum Club, there is taffeta and lace, leather and gold.

From The Daily Beast

Absurd as that taffeta dress was for a child of her age, it seemed to her an armor against all disaster.

From Project Gutenberg

Heres a piece of ribbon to tie it with, if you wont cut it off, said Winona, reappearing with a wide length of blue taffeta.

From Project Gutenberg

Just look at him, with an old taffeta whigmaleerie tied to his back, like Paddy from Cork, with his coat buttoned behind!

From Project Gutenberg

It was a blue taffeta, very stiff and rustling, trimmed with plaid taffeta and black buttons.

From Project Gutenberg

Taffeta is one of the oldest weaves known, silk under this name having been in constant use since the fourteenth century.

From Project Gutenberg

Related Words

• fiber
• thread
• tulle