chamois

(s̸hamē)

noun pl. chamois

  1. a small goat antelope (Rupicapra rupicapra) of the mountains of Europe and the Caucasus, having straight horns with the tips bent backward
  2. also sp. chammy
    1. a soft leather made from its skin or from the skin of sheep, deer, goats, etc.
    2. 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

  1. made of chamois
  2. yellowish-brown

transitive verb chamoised , chamoising

to polish with a chamois skin

See chamois in American Heritage Dictionary 4

noun pl. cham·ois (shămˈēz)
  1. An extremely agile goat antelope (Rupicapra rupicapra) of mountainous regions of Europe, having upright horns with backward-hooked tips.
  2. 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.
  3. A moderate to grayish yellow.

Origin:

Origin: French

Origin: , from Old French

Origin: , from Late Latin camōx

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