batiste

noun

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

Examples of batiste in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Coat of black silk satin brocaded with polychrome silk thread in a pattern of tulips; belt of black silk satin; blouse of white silk-cotton batiste; skirt of beige cotton-linen twill. Irene Kim, Vogue, 28 June 2024

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 21 Dec. 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

Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!