terry

Pronunciation

• IPA: /ˈtɛɹi/^[1]

Etymology

It is of uncertain origin,^[2][3][4][5] possibly borrowed from French tiré (“drawn”) in an altered form, the past participle of tirer (“to draw”) (see tirade);^[2][3][6] compare German gezogener Sammet, drawn velvet.^[2][3] Collins suggests a variant of terret.^[7]

Earliest recorded meaning

The loop raised in pile weaving and left uncut, or the fabric itself: 1784.^[2][3][8]

Semantic evolution

As an adjective, of fabrics with looped pile, it is from 1835.^[8] Terry cloth is American from 1921,^[2] and terry towelling is now used especially for towels and babies' nappies.^[9][7] A terry, short for territorial, was a soldier of the British Territorial Army (1907).^[8]

Timeline

• 1784 – an uncut loop; the fabric.^[2][8]
• 1835 – the adjective.^[8]
• 1921 – terry cloth.^[2]

Modern meaning

Noun

1. A cotton fabric with uncut loops of thread on one or both sides, used for towels and bathrobes.
2. An uncut loop in the pile of such a fabric.

Related words

• terry cloth
• towelling
• velvet

References

1. ^ Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org
2. ^ a b c d e f g Barnhart, Robert K. (1988), The Barnhart Dictionary of Etymology
3. ^ a b c d Harper, Douglas. Online Etymology Dictionary, https://www.etymonline.com
4. ^ Hoad, T. F., ed. (1986), The Concise Oxford Dictionary of English Etymology, Oxford: Clarendon Press
5. ^ Pearsall, Judy, ed. (1998), The New Oxford Dictionary of English, Oxford: Clarendon Press
6. ^ Merriam-Webster Unabridged Dictionary (2024), online ed., Springfield, Mass.: Merriam-Webster
7. ^ a b Collins English Dictionary (2023), Glasgow: HarperCollins
8. ^ a b c d e Simpson, J. A.; Weiner, E. S. C., eds. (1989), The Oxford English Dictionary, 2nd ed., Oxford: Clarendon Press
9. ^ Shorter Oxford English Dictionary on Historical Principles (2002), 5th ed., ed. William R. Trumble and Angus Stevenson, Oxford: Oxford University Press