chenille

Borrowed from French chenille.

• IPA^(key): /ʃəˈniːl/
• Rhymes: -iːl

chenille (countable and uncountable, plural chenilles)

1. An extremely soft and bunchy fabric often used to make sweaters.
   • 1929, M. Barnard Eldershaw, A House Is Built, Chapter VII, Section vi

     The house seemed unfamiliar in the dark stormy light; the red and purple glass of the front door made livid bruises on the linoleum; the green chenille curtain was like a veil of seaweed.

• Hellenic

Inherited from Latin canīcula (“little dog”) (because of a caterpillar's head). Doublet of canicule.

• IPA^(key): /ʃə.nij/, /ʃnij/

• Audio (CAN)

  (file)

chenille f (plural chenilles)

1. caterpillar
2. chenille
3. caterpillar track, snow chain
4. whirligig (fairground attraction)

• mite
• papillon m

• “chenille” in le Trésor de la langue française informatisé (The Digitized Treasury of the French Language).