nankeen

noun

nan·keen ˌnan-ˈkēn

1

: a durable brownish yellow cotton fabric originally loomed by hand in China

2

nankeens plural : trousers made of nankeen

Word History

Etymology

Nanking (Nanjing), China

First Known Use

circa 1700, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler

The first known use of nankeen was circa 1700

See more words from the same year

Cite this Entry

Style

“Nankeen.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/nankeen. Accessed 22 May. 2025.

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Kids Definition

nankeen

noun

nan·keen (ˈ)nan-ˈkēn

: a durable brownish yellow cotton fabric originally from China

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