mohair

noun

mo·​hair ˈmō-ˌher 

: a fabric or yarn made wholly or in part of the long silky hair of the Angora goat

also : this hair

Did you know?

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

a sweater made of mohair and silk

Recent Examples on the Web

Swap out a traditional beanie for a mohair one, try a beret, or rock a newsboy hat to spruce up your look. —Andrea Bossi, Essence, 10 Dec. 2024

Loose Crop, $129 $30 Best Lucky Brand Black Friday Men's Deal: Lucky Brand Plaid Cloud Soft Flannel Shirt, $80 $48 Best Lucky Brand Black Friday Sweater Deals Lucky’s best-selling sweaters are 40% off right now, including this chic mohair number (mohair happens to be a key trend for 2024). —Alanna Martine Kilkeary, Glamour, 27 Nov. 2024

Velvet mohairs, Fusion Wow Quartzite, and Marmorino plaster were earmarked even before the design process began. —Kathryn Romeyn, Architectural Digest, 30 Oct. 2024

It is made from a blend of 33% alpaca, 25% wool, 22% nylon and 20% mohair. —Nora Colomer, Fox News, 23 Oct. 2024

Word History

Etymology

modification of obsolete Italian mocaiarro, from Arabic mukhayyar, literally, choice

First Known Use

1569, in the meaning defined above

Podcast

Get Word of the Day delivered to your inbox!

Kids Definition

mohair

noun

mo·​hair ˈmō-ˌha(ə)r 

-ˌhe(ə)r

: a fabric or yarn made of or with the long silky hair of the Angora goat

also : the hair of the Angora goat