crinoline Hear it!

crinoline definition

crino·line (krin′ə lin′, -lēn′)

noun

  1. a coarse, stiff, heavily sized cloth used as a lining for stiffening garments: orig. made of horsehair and linen
  2. a petticoat of this cloth, worn under a skirt to make it puff out
  3. hoop skirt

Etymology: Fr < It crinolino < crino, horsehair (< L crinis: see crinite) + lino, linen < L linum: see line

Webster's New World College Dictionary Copyright © 2009 by Wiley Publishing, Inc., Cleveland, Ohio.
Used by arrangement with John Wiley & Sons, Inc.

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