Main Entry: cham·ois

Pronunciation: \ˈsha-mē, sense 1 also sham-ˈwä\

Function: noun

Inflected Form(s): plural cham·ois also cham·oix \sense 1 ˈsha-mē(z) or sham-ˈwä(z), senses 2 & 3 ˈsha-mēz\

Etymology: Middle French, from Late Latin camox

Date: 1560

1 : a small goatlike bovid (Rupicapra rupicapra) of mountainous regions from southern Europe to the Caucasus
2also cham·my or sham·my \ˈsha-mē\ : a soft pliant leather prepared from the skin of the chamois or from sheepskin
3 : a cotton fabric made in imitation of chamois leather