bombazine
/ˈbɒmbəziːn
/noun [mass noun]
A twilled dress fabric of worsted and silk or cotton, especially a black kind formerly used for mourning clothes.Confusingly, the original source of the word was the Greek bombux, ‘silkworm ‘, from which we also get bombazine.’...
- This visitor, dressed in a black bombazine gown and closely veiled, was a familiar sight on the streets of St. Louis, as she took the air daily in her light carriage.
- Leaning against the steel railing that surrounded the stairwell stood four men, dressed in green bombazine jumpsuits.
Origin
Mid 16th century (denoting raw cotton): from French bombasin, from medieval Latin bombacinum, from bombycinum, neuter of bombycinus 'silken', based on Greek bombux 'silkworm'.