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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
Chris Gardner, HollywoodReporter, 6 May 2025
The mohair targa top can be removed for warmer days.
—Matthew MacConnell, Forbes.com, 28 Apr. 2025
That subtle and alluring mix includes a custom gray mohair rug by Augusta Hoffman Studio, gray plaster walls, and warmer Rose Uniacke textiles on the Roman shades, bed, and canopy.
—David Foxley, Architectural Digest, 21 Apr. 2025
In the 1940s and '50s, the Hill Country area was known as an international wool and mohair center, and Comfort’s own Adolf Stieler was called the Angora Goat King of the World.
—Amanda Ogle, Travel + Leisure, 26 Apr. 2025
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Cite this Entry
“Mohair.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/mohair. Accessed 17 May. 2025.
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mohair
noun
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