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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
Kenedee Fowler, Better Homes & Gardens, 28 Nov. 2025
Oak floorboards and hand-plastered walls are paired with the warm textures of linen, shearling, velvet, and mohair, giving it a sumptuous and inviting aspect.
—Tori Latham, Robb Report, 23 Nov. 2025
Cardigan nails mimic the fuzzy, blended look of a colorful mohair sweater.
—Grace McCarty, Glamour, 13 Nov. 2025
Olsen paired the mules with a double-breasted wool-mohair jacket and coordinating slit midi skirt — also Givenchy — with just a black bra peeking out from her outerwear.
—Maggie Clancy, Footwear News, 9 Nov. 2025
See All Example Sentences for mohair
Cite this Entry
“Mohair.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/mohair. Accessed 7 Dec. 2025.
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mohair
noun
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