chamois

noun

cham·​ois ˈsha-mē How to pronounce chamois (audio)
sense 1 also
sham-ˈwä How to pronounce chamois (audio)
plural chamois also chamoix
sense 1
ˈsha-mē(z) How to pronounce chamois (audio)
or
sham-ˈwä(z) How to pronounce chamois (audio)
senses 2 & 3
ˈsha-mēz How to pronounce chamois (audio)
1
: either of two small, agile, goatlike bovids (Rupicapra rupicapra and R. pyrenaica) of mountainous regions from southern Europe to the Caucasus that are often hunted for their meat and hide
2
or less commonly chammy or shammy : a soft pliant leather prepared from the skin of the chamois or from sheepskin
3
: a cotton fabric made in imitation of chamois leather

Examples of chamois in a Sentence

a bucket of water and a chamois
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
These subtly slim joggers are the perfect swap for my chamois on the drive back home—soft, stretchy, and stink-resistant, thanks to their 85 percent merino wool construction. Lily Ritter, Outside Online, 11 Nov. 2024 Get Some Bibs Photograph: Pearl Izumi Diehards like to show their grit by riding in cutoff shorts with no protective chamois. Stephanie Pearson, WIRED, 31 May 2021 This is then gently buffed in using a chamois (a natural leather) tool. Tori Crowther, refinery29.com, 12 July 2024 The flora and fauna feature more than 1,700 plant species as well as chamois, boars and deer. David Unsworth, Fox News, 20 Apr. 2024 See all Example Sentences for chamois 

Word History

Etymology

Middle French, from Late Latin camox

First Known Use

1560, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of chamois was in 1560

Dictionary Entries Near chamois

Cite this Entry

“Chamois.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/chamois. Accessed 22 Nov. 2024.

Kids Definition

chamois

noun
cham·​ois ˈsham-ē How to pronounce chamois (audio)
plural chamois also chamoix ˈsham-ē(z) How to pronounce chamois (audio)
1
: a small goatlike mountain antelope of Europe and the Caucasus
2
: a soft yellowish leather made from the skin of the chamois or from sheepskin

More from Merriam-Webster on chamois

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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