Textile Glossary |
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Unless otherwise noted, definitions are derived from the following sources:
Bluteau, Raphael. Vocabulario Portuguez & Latino. Lisbon: Pascoal da Sylva, 1712-1728. Bluteau, Rafael. Supplemento ao Vocabulario Portuguez, e Latino. Lisbon: Joseph Antonio da Sylva, 1727-1728. Montgomery, Florence M. Textiles in America, 1650-1870: A Dictionary Based on Original Documents, Prints and Paintings, Commercial Records, American Merchant’s Papers, Shopkeepers’ Advertisements, and Pattern Books with Original Swatches of Cloth. New York: W. W. Nortson & Company, 2007. Moraes Silva, Antonio de. Diccionario da Lingua Portugueza composto pelo Padre D. Rafael Bluteau, Reformado, e Accrescentado. Lisbon: Simão Thaddeo Ferrereira, 1789. Vieyra Transtagano, Anthony. A Dictionary of the Portuguese and English Languages, in two Parts, Portuguese and English: and English and Portuguese, Vol. 1. London: J. Nourse, 1773. |
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Agaloada ornamented with ribbon or decorative trim. See Galão
Alvadio, Alvacento off-white (Bluteau I, A 305; Moraes, Vol. 1, 68) Anagoa under-petticoat, a linen skirt worn under other garments. Vieyra, in contrast, describes it as a woman’s shift. (Bluteau, Vol. 1, A 359; Moraes, Vol. 1, 79; Vieyra) Babado ruffle, flounce Baeta bay, a textile with a worsted warp and woolen weft. (Bluteau, Vol 2, B 11; Moraes, Vol. 1, 157; Vieyra; Montgomery, 159-160) Belbute velveteen, a cotton velvet (Anthony Vieyra, and J. P. Aillaud, A Dictionary of the Portuguese and English Languages, in two Parts, Part 2 (London: F. Wingrave et al., 1813)) Borla tassel (Bluteau, Vol. 2, B 161; Moraes, Vol. 1, 190; Vieyra). Bretanha, Bertanha britannias, a fine, plain weave linen cloth originally from Britanny (Bluteau, II, 189; Moraes, Vol. 1, 197; Vieyra; Montgomery, 177). Brilhante brilliant, silk textiles from France or worsted wool textiles from England featuring small floral or lace patterns (Montgomery, 176). Brim canvas, a linen, flax or hemp textile (Bluteau, Vol. 2, B 193; Moraes, Vol. 1, 198; Vieyra) Brocado brocade, a textile patterned with supplementary wefts. The term is also applied to other fine patterned cloths such as embroidered textiles (Bluteau, Vol. 2, B 196; Moraes, Vol. 1, 199; Vieyra; Montgomery 179). Brocatel, Borcatel brocatelle. Definitions of brocatelle vary greatly. Early Modern English-language sources describe a fabric similar in appearance to damask, composed of a vegetal fiber ground and silk brocade designs. The 1726 Spanish dictionary provides the same definition of a vegetal fiber and silk brocade or damask. In contrast, Bluteau and Moraes describe a silk fabric containing silver. Finally, Vieyra translates brocatel as linsey-woolsey, a coarse linen and wool textile (Real Academia Española, Diccionario de la Lengua Castellana, Vol. 1 (Madrid: Real Academia Española, 1726); Bluteau Vol. 2, B 197; Moraes Vol. 1, 199; Vieyra; Montgomery 179, 279). Calçado any type of footwear (Bluteau, Vol. 2, C 50; Moraes, Vol. 1, 125; Vieyra) Calção, Calçõens breeches (Bluteau, Vol. 2, B 52; Vieyra). Camelão, Camellão a textile originally made of camel fiber, but by the eighteenth century made of wool, goat hair or silk (Bluteau, Supplemento, Vol. 1, 186) Camisa shirt or shift (Bluteau, Vol. 2, C 82; Moraes, Vol. 1, 222; Vieyra). Cambraia cambric, a fine, white plain weave linen originally from Cambray, but also produced elsewhere in the eighteenth century (Bluteau, Vol. 2, C 74; Moraes, Vol. 1, 221; Montgomery, 187). Canga see Ganga Capa cloak, worn from the shoulders to the knees or lower (Bluteau, Vol. 2, 117; Moraes, Vol. 1, 228; Vieyra) Casaca, Cazaca coat (Bluteau, Vol. 2, C 175; Moraes, Vol. 1, 241; Vieyra) Casacam, Casacão Overcoat or great-coat, a longer garment worn over the coat to provide further warmth (Bluteau, Vol. 2, C 175; Moraes, Vol. 1, 241; Vieyra) Chamalote, Chamelote A textile made of camel fiber, sometimes with a watered finish. Although the root of the word relates to the camel, the term was also applied to fabrics made of wool or silk. According to Vieyra chamalote translates to camblet or camlet which is a plain weave containing silk and goat hair among other possible fibers. (Bluteau Vol. 2, C 268; Moraes, Vol. 1, 260; Vieyra; Montgomery, 188-9) Chinela house slipper (Bluteau, Vol. 2, C 292; Moraes, Vol. 1, 266; Vieyra) Chita, Xita chintz, originally from India, chintz referred to cotton textiles that were either printed or painted to create complex designs. In the eighteenth century, printed chintz was produced throughout Europe, sometimes using a base textile containing both cotton and linen. (Bluteau, Vol. 2, C 293; Moraes, Vol. 1, 280; Vieyra; Montgomery, 200). Chocolateira chocolate pot Cobertor blanket (Bluteau, Vol. 2, C 349; Moraes, Vol. 1, 280; Vieyra) Colcha, Colxa quilt. Bluteau and Moraes consider it more decorative and elaborately ornamented than a cobertor (Bluteau, Vol. 2, C 367; Moraes, Vol. 1, 284; Vieyra) Colchão, Colxão, Colcham mattress (Bluteau Vol. 2, C 367; Moraes, Vol. 1, 284; Vieyra) Colete jerkin, a type of vest without sleeves (Bluteau Vol. 2, C 369; Vieyra) Cuberta, Coberta cover, shelter, blanket (Bluteau Vol. 2, C 626; Moraes, Vol. 2, 280; Vieyra). Damasco damask, a patterned fabric on satin or twill weave. Designs are created with alternating warp-facing and weft-facing. (Bluteau Vol. 3, D 2-3; Moraes Vol. 1, 359; Vieyra; Montgomery, 213-4) Droguete, Dorguete drugget, typically a wool textile, but druggets can also contain silk or linen (Bluteau Vol. 3, D 306; Moraes, Vol. 1, 457; Vieyra; Montgomery, 226-7) Durante durance or durant, a fine, worsted wool with a glazed finish (Moraes Vol. 1, 459; Vieyra; Montgomery, 229-30) Encarnado/a red, the color of raw meat or a rose. (Bluteau, Vol. 3, E 84; Moraes, Vol. 1, 486; Vieyra) Enxergão, Enxergam, Enchergeiro straw mattress (Bluteau, Vol. 3, E 165; Morais, Vol. 1, 520; Vieyra) Esguião a fine linen fabric, often used for shirts. It was produced in Northern Europe, possibly Ireland (Bluteau, Supplemento, Vol. 1, 398; Moraes, Vol. 1, 542; Vieyra) Espartilho stays, a rigid support for the female torso that creates a conical shape from the hips to the bust (Bluteau, Vol. 3, E 260; Moraes, Vol. 1 547; Vieyra) Espiguilha bobbin lace (Bluteau, Vol. 3, E 277; Moraes, Vol. 1, 551; Vieyra) Estofa stuff, a generic term for worsted wool cloth (Bluteau III, E324; Moraes, Vol. 1, 565; Vieyra; Montgomery, 353). Estofo a textile that is stuffed with wool, cotton or other filling (Bluteau, Vol. 3, E 325; Moraes, Vol. 1, 565; Vieyra) Ferrete dark in tone when describing a color (Antonio Vieyra and J. P. Aillaud, Novo Diccionario Portatil das Linguas Portugueza e Ingleza, Vol. 1 (Paris: J. P. Aillaud, 1837), 205) Fineza thin, fine, pure. Bluteau, Moraes and Vieyra do not define it as a textile term. Presumably the textile with that designation was particularly fine and elegant. (Bluteau, Vol. 4, F 125; Moraes, Vol. 1, 617; Vieyra) Forrada to be lined with something (Bluteau, Vol. 4, F 181; Moraes, Vol. 1, 630; Vieyra) Gala, Galas, Galace court dress or the fine fabric of which formal garments are made (Bluteau, Vol. 4, G 9; Moraes, Vol. 1 648; Vieyra) Galão, Galam a trim, ribbon or strip of ornamental fabric (Bluteau, Vol. 4, G 11; Moraes, Vol. 1, 649; Vieyra) Ganga an Asian cotton textile, typically died yellow, indigo blue or black (Moraes, Vol. 1, 651) Gorgoram, Gorgorão grosgrain, a plain weave textile with a heavier weft yarn that creates a corded texture. Grosgrain is often made of silk. (Bluteau, Vol. 4, G 96; Moraes, Vol.1, 663; Vieyra; Montgomery, 252) Guarda Pé underpetticoat, a skirt worn under open petticoats and robes (Bluteau, Vol. 4, G 673-4; Silva I, 673; Vieyra) Hollanda a linen cloth from the Dutch Republic, finer than Portuguese linens but coarser than cambric (Bluteau, Vol. 4, H 42; Vieyra) Jaleco a type of doublet (Vieyra) Laçáda a bow or slip knot (Bluteau, Vol. 5, L 11; Moraes, Vol. 2, 2; Vieyra) Lançol, Lençol bedsheet (Bluteau, Vol. 5, L 36; Moraes, Vol. 2, 7; Vieyra) Lemiste, Lemistre a fine black wool cloth from England (Bluteau, Vol. 5, L 77; Moraes, Vol. 2, 15; Vieyra) Lenço handkerchief (Bluteau, Vol. 5, L 78; Moraes, Vol. 2, 15; Vieyra) Lustro a textile term common in inventories but not found in the dictionaries. The name implies a lustrous cloth, and may be related to Lustrilho. Lustrilho is lustring or lutestring in English. According to Montgomery, lustring is a lustrous silk textile that was commonly single-colored, striped, or woven as shot silk. When patterned, chinoiserie designs were common. Bluteau and Moraes, on the other hand describe lustrilho as a shiny wool cloth (Bluteau, Vol. 5, L 209; Moraes, Vol. 2, 37; Vieyra; Montgomery, 283-5) Manta a wool blanket (Bluteau, Vol. 5, M 298; Moraes, Vol. 2, 54; Vieyra) Manto a women’s veil that covers the head and torso (Bluteau, Vol. 5, M 302-3; Morais, Vol. 2, 55; Vieyra) Marroquim Morroco leather, a type of leather originally produced in Morroco. In the eighteenth-century, it was also produced in Portugal (Bluteau, Vol. Moraes, Vol. 2, 61; Vieyra; Antonio Delgado da Silva, Collecçao da Legislação Portugueza (Lisbon: Typogradia Maigrense, 1828), 529-30) Melania either a textile made of mohair, or moreen, which is a worsted wool cloth originally intended to imitate mohair (C. H. Kauffman, The Dictionary of Merchandize, and Nomenclature in ALL European Languages (London: T. Boosey, 1815), xxv; Antonio Vieyra and J. P. Aillaud, Novo Diccionario Portatil das Linguas Portugueza e Ingleza, Vol. 1 (Paris: J. P. Aillaud, 1837), 276; Montgomery, 297-298, 300-302) Meya, Meia, Meas stockings (Bluteau, Vol. 5, M 378; Moraes, Vol. 2, 69; Vieyra) Niagem, Niagem Grega burlap, a coarse linen cloth (Bluteau, Vol. 5, N 716; Moraes, Vol. 2, 115; Vieyra) Nobreza a type of silk cloth. In Spanish, nobleza refers to a high-quality silk damask with delicate patterning suitable for the nobility. Portuguese sources are less specific, merely describing it as a silk textile. (Bluteau, Vol. 5, N 732; Moraes, Vol. 2, 116; Vieyra; Real Academia Española, Diccionario de la Lengua Castellana, Vol. 4 (Madrid: Real Academia Española, 1734) Papa a wool textile used for blankets (Bluteau, Vol. 6, P 236; Moraes, Vol. 2, 154) Passamanes passementerie, passements, narrow strips of trim, such as lace, braids, or fringe (Bluteau, Vol. 6, P 298-9; Moraes, Vol. 2, 165; Vieyra; Montgomery, 317). Penteador a cloth to protect the clothing while grooming one’s hair (Bluteau, Vol. 6, 402; Moraes, Vol. 2, 184; Vieyra) Perpetuana perpetuana, perperts, or perpcheana in English, a twill wool cloth (Bluteau, Vol. 6, P 444; Moraes, Vol. 2, 191; Vieyra; Montgomery, 320-1) Pescosinho A stock or cravat (Vieyra) Punho 1. the hilt of a sword 2. a ruffled shirt cuff (Bluteau, Vol. 6, P 828; Moraes, Vol. 264; Vieyra) Queimão, Queimam, Quimão kimono and its precursors (Bluteau, Vol. 7, Q 45; Moraes, Vol. 2, 277; Vieyra) Ramo 1. Tree branch 2. The pieces of fabric from which a bedsheet is sewn (Bluteau, Vol. 7, R 102-3; Moraes, Vol. 2, 283; Vieyra) Risso, Riço, Risu According to Moraes a wool or silk velvet, and according to Vieyra a silk fabric (Moraes, Vol. 2, 350; Vieyra) Sapato, Çapato an ordinary buckled shoe (Bluteau, Vol. 7, S 470-1; Moraes, Vol. 2, 376; Vieyra) Sarge, Sarja in English, serge, sarge, or searge, a twill textile of wool or silk (Moraes, Vol. 2, 378; Montgomery, 344-5) Sargeta Imperial a particularly fine variety of serge (Bluteau, Supplemento, Vol. 2, 198; Vieyra) Saya, Saia petticoat (Bluteau, Vol. 7, S 517; Moraes, Vol. 2, 367; Vieyra) Sayote, Saiote a shorter petticoat (Antonio de Moraes Silva, and Theotonio José de Oliveira Velho, Diccionario da Lingua Portugueza, Vol. 2 (Lisbon: Impressão Regia, 1831), 680) Serafina, Sarafina According to Moraes, serafina is a type of wool cloth woven in narrow pieces. Bluteau’s definition suggests it is similar to perpetuana, and thus likely a twill wool cloth. Finally, Vieyra translates sarafina as long ells (also called longcloth or long lawn). Long ells can refer to any fabric woven in particularly long lengths. The term was used for a variety of textile types, including a twill cloth with a worsted warp and woolen weft, likely the type of textile the Portuguese sources describe (Bluteau, Supplemento, Vol. 2, 197; Moraes, Vol. 2, 394; Vieyra; Montgomery, 281) Setim satin, a silk or worsted wool textile with a highly lustrous sheen created with long warp floats (Bluteau, Vol. 7, S 623; Moraes, Vol. 2, 399; Vieyra; Montgomery, 339-40) Tafeta, Taffeta taffeta, a fine plain weave silk (Bluteau, Vol. 8, T 15; Moraes, Vol. 2, 439; Vieyra; Montgomery, 358). Tela a fine textile typically containing silk, gold, and silver. According to Vieyra, the same as tissue. (Bluteau, Vol. 8, T 67; Moraes, Vol. 2, 448; Vieyra) Tissu, Tessum tissue, a luxury fabric often containing gold or silver threads, and often patterned with floral designs (Moraes, Vol. 2, 461; Vieyra; Montgomery, 366-7) Timam, Timão the Brazilian variant of Queimão (Moraes, Vol. 2, 459) Veludo, Velludo velvet, a textile with a pile composed of supplementary warp threads. Velvets were most commonly silk, but could also be made of wool. Manchester velvets, often called velveteen, were made of cotton. Bluteau notes that Portugal imported velvets from France. (Bluteau, Vol. 8, V 392; Moraes, Vol. 2, 514; Vieyra; Montgomery, 287, 370) Veste while veste can refer to clothing in general, mineiro inventories use the term to describe a type of coat (Bluteau, Vol. 8, V 456) Vestia waistcoat, vest, with or without sleeves and worn under the coat (Bluteau, Vol. 8, V 456; Moraes, Vol. 2, 522; Vieyra) |
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Copyright 2018 Rachel A. Zimmerman
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