batiste

noun

ba·​tiste bə-ˈtēst How to pronounce batiste (audio)
ba-
: a fine soft sheer fabric of plain weave made of various fibers

Word History

Etymology

borrowed from French, earlier also baptiste, by hypercorrection from *batisse (associated with the proper name Baptiste, pronounced with cluster simplification as Batiste, Batisse), going back to Middle French (Picard) batiche, probably from bat-, stem of battre "to beat, separate (fiber for felting)" + -iche, Picard cognate of central French -isse, adjective suffix, going back to Old French -ice, feminine of -eiz, iz, going back to Latin -ātīcius, -itīcius — more at battery

First Known Use

1697, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of batiste was in 1697

Dictionary Entries Near batiste

Cite this Entry

“Batiste.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/batiste. Accessed 19 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

batiste

noun
ba·​tiste bə-ˈtēst How to pronounce batiste (audio)
ba-
: a fine soft sheer fabric of plain weave

More from Merriam-Webster on batiste

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