There are two meanings listed in OED's entry for the noun zenana cloth . See ‘Meaning & use’ for definitions, usage, and quotation evidence.
The earliest known use of the noun zenana cloth is in the 1880s.
OED's earliest evidence for zenana cloth is from 1885, in Adelaide Observer .
Nearby entries zemi, n. 1555– zemiistic, adj. 1907– zemirah, n. 1767– zemni, n. 1775– Zemsky Sobor, n. 1877– zemstvo, n. 1865– zemstvoist, n. 1904– Zen, n. & adj. 1727– Zen, v. 1968– zenana, n. & adj. 1761– zenana cloth, n. 1885– Zen Buddhist, adj. & n. 1917– Zend, n. & adj. 1700– zendaletto, n. 1789– Zend-Avesta, n. 1630– Zend-Avestaic, adj. 1816 Zend-Avestan, adj. & n. 1871– Zend-Avestic, adj. 1864– Zendic, n. & adj. 1771– Zendician, n. a1833–66 Zendicism, n. 1697–
1885–
a. n. A light, though warm, quilted or matelassé fabric used for women's clothing, esp. for dressing gowns, tea gowns, and other informal garments designed to be worn in private (cf. zenana n. A.2 ); b. adj. made of this fabric. 1885
Zenana Cloth , 9s. 11d. doz. Adelaide Observer 26 September 40/5 (advertisement)
1897
As chilly hours draw near we may be permitted to turn to Zenana-cloth for some items of our lingerie. Lady's Realm vol. 1 93/1
1919
French Zenana cloth lounging robes. Boston Daily Globe 1 October 13/4
1952
Zenana cloth , a self-patterned rayon fabric with a cosy, fleecy back, is specially imported from France. Sydney Morning Herald 12 February 8
1987
A zenana-cloth bedjacket, lace bonnet, and bobbled slippers. D. Bellos , translation of G. Perec, Life: User's Manual xxxviii. 170
▶ more ▼ less Of clothing, or the natural integument of animals: Made of material which retains heat in the body.
Made of fur, lined or trimmed with fur.
Of clothing, etc.: made of russet.
a. Of clothing, etc.: made of imperial purple; (also figurative ) royal, imperial, exalted. b. Of a deep crimson or violet-purple colour. Cf. purple …
transferred and figurative .
spec. Designating a garment made of Shetland wool, Shetland yarn, or knitted using the traditional techniques and designs of Shetland knitting, as…
Of a garment: made of pepper-and-salt cloth.
Made of or consisting of dreadnought (sense A.2). Now historical .
Hair-cloth; a rough garment made of hair-cloth, generally worn as a penitential robe. Also attributive .
As a modifier, designating an open-meshed fabric or garment, now often in fishnet stockings , fishnet tights .
Of fabric, items of clothing, etc.: having an open-meshed structure resembling that of a fishing net; made of, decorated, or covered with this type…
= pepper-and-salt , n. A.1.
a. n. A light, though warm, quilted or matelassé fabric used for women's clothing, esp. for dressing gowns, tea gowns, and other informal garments…
Of or made of a warp-knit fabric made on a Milanese loom usually from silk or now chiefly rayon yarns. Chiefly in Milanese silk .
Designating cloth having a pattern of very narrow stripes; (of a garment) made of such cloth.
Of a fur garment: made of skins which have been cut into diagonal strips and resewn.
Painted or marked with Day-Glo paints, pigments, etc., typically being very bright and vividly colourful; (esp. of a garment) made with a material…
Some thin or delicate textile fabric, used esp. by women for veils or head-coverings; ? a crape-like material. Cf. crisp , adj. I.3. Obsolete .
A thin silk fabric used as a dress material, originally imported to Britain from China in the late 17th cent.
A light, silky dress-fabric, resembling gauze, originally made at Baréges.
a. (As a count noun) any of various types of accessory for the hair made from fine mesh or netting; spec. a hair net; b. (as a mass noun) light…
A light twilled dress fabric typically woven from wool or from worsted and silk.
Used attributively of wool obtained thence, or of cloth or garments made from this or in imitation of it; applied (usually thibet ) to (a) a heavy…
A type of light silk fabric. Cf. sense A.5.
? Soft feathery material for dress.
A thin, light plain-weave fabric used for blouses and dresses; cf. nun's veil cloth , n.
a. n. A light, though warm, quilted or matelassé fabric used for women's clothing, esp. for dressing gowns, tea gowns, and other informal garments…
Short for zenana cloth , n. (a). Now rare .
A kind of thin dress material.
A proprietary name for: a kind of lightweight fabric used for clothing, used attributively in Palm Beach cloth , Palm Beach jacket , Palm Beach suit …
Originally published as part of the entry for zenana, n. & adj.
zenana, n. & adj. was revised in June 2018.
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