chamois
chamois Lexical Profile
chamois Game Scores & Validity
• noun
A soft, pliable leather traditionally made from the skin of the chamois or a sheep, or a synthetic cloth resembling it, used widely for washing and polishing.
"He spent Sunday afternoon carefully drying his classic car with a chamois to prevent water spots on the paint."
An agile goat-antelope species (Rupicapra rupicapra) native to rugged mountainous regions of Europe, including the Alps, Pyrenees, and Apennines.
"During our hike in the Swiss Alps, we spotted a solitary chamois grazing on a steep rocky incline."
• verb
To clean, dry, or polish a surface using a piece of soft chamois leather.
"After washing the windows with soap, she chamoised the glass to give it a streak-free shine."
Word Nuance & Usage
The pronunciation changes significantly depending on the meaning: the animal is typically pronounced /ˈʃæmwɑː/ (sham-wah), while the leather cloth and the related verb are pronounced /ˈʃæmi/ (sham-ee), sometimes informally spelled 'shammy'.
• Rhymes for chamois
Word Origin & Etymology
Borrowed from Middle French 'chamois', ultimately from Late Latin 'camox', which is possibly of pre-Roman Alpine or Gaulish origin.
Usage Trend
Historical frequency of usage in published text.