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chamois
(s̸ham′ē)
noun pl. chamois
- a small goat antelope (Rupicapra rupicapra) of the mountains of Europe and the Caucasus, having straight horns with the tips bent backward
- also sp. chammy
- a soft leather made from its skin or from the skin of sheep, deer, goats, etc.
- a piece of this leather, used as a polishing cloth
Origin: Fr < LL camox < a native Alpine word of IE orig.; akin to Gr kemas, young deer: see hind
adjective
- made of chamois
- yellowish-brown
transitive verb chamoised , chamoising
to polish with a chamois skin
See chamois in American Heritage Dictionary 4
noun pl. cham·ois (shămˈēz)
- An extremely agile goat antelope (Rupicapra rupicapra) of mountainous regions of Europe, having upright horns with backward-hooked tips.
- also cham·my or sham·my pl. cham·mies or sham·mies a. A soft leather made from the hide of this animal or other animals such as deer or sheep.b. A piece of such leather, or a cotton fabric made to resemble it, used as a polishing cloth or in shirts.
- A moderate to grayish yellow.
Origin:
Origin: French
Origin: , from Old French
Origin: , from Late Latin camōx
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