voile

American  

[voil, vwal] / vɔɪl, vwal /

noun

1. a lightweight, semisheer fabric of wool, silk, rayon, or cotton constructed in plain weave.

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voile British  

/ vwal, vɔɪl /

noun

1. a light semitransparent fabric of silk, rayon, cotton, etc, used for dresses, scarves, shirts, etc

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Etymology

Origin of voile

1885–90; < French; Anglo-French veile veil

Example Sentences

A Jura savagnin in the sous voile style, aged like fino under a veil of yeast, would also complement this dish.

From Seattle Times • Jul. 25, 2022

An established master of the slow reveal, Ivory serves gossip with a voile overlay.

From New York Times • Nov. 1, 2021

British designer Paul Smith, who used to scout Hawaiian shirts in remote vintage shops, plunges into his archives for this printed Italian-made voile shirt with a midnight beachfront scene.

From Los Angeles Times • May 3, 2018

Jackets featured in Ermenegildo Zegna Couture’s Spring 2016 runway show in Milan in June were lined with cotton voile or poplin to keep them lightweight yet give them structure, says head of design Stefano Pilati.

From The Wall Street Journal • Jul. 29, 2015

She was thin without the taut look of wiry people, and her printed voile dresses and flowered hats were as right for her as denim overalls for a farmer.

From "I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings" by Maya Angelou