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Mohair entered the English language in the 16th century, spelled variously as "mocayare," "mockaire," "mokayre," and "moochary." It was borrowed from Italian mocaiarro, a word which itself was borrowed from Arabic mukhayyar. The adjective mukhayyar meant "select" or "choice." How this Arabic adjective came to be the English noun "mohair" is a bit of a mystery. It is possible that "mukhayyar" was used as a colloquial noun in the sense of "wool of prime quality" (that is, "choice wool"). In English, the shift from "mocayare" and similar spellings to "mohair" was likely influenced by the more familiar English word hair.
Examples of mohair in a Sentence
Dan Howarth, Architectural Digest, 25 Feb. 2025
High-quality wool and mohair throws, thick cotton, cowhide rugs, and leathers that gain a patina over time are all ideal choices.
—Cori Sears, Better Homes & Gardens, 4 Jan. 2025
And with appropriately British soundtracks setting the mood and jaw-dropping pieces like subversive tailoring, hand-stitched cobweb lace, and bold mohair silhouettes, the Alexander McQueen show transcended from just an event into a brand experience.
—Jeetendr Sehdev, Forbes, 30 Sep. 2024
The custom mohair sectional is made for lounging and the Nobilis wallpaper on the ceiling adds to the feeling of coziness in the sophisticated yet durable space.
—Elizabeth Stamp, Architectural Digest, 10 Feb. 2025
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Cite this Entry
“Mohair.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/mohair. Accessed 3 Mar. 2025.
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mohair
noun
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