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antimacassars

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an⋅ti⋅ma⋅cas⋅sar

[an-ti-muh-kas-er]
–noun
a small covering, usually ornamental, placed on the backs and arms of upholstered furniture to prevent wear or soiling; a tidy.

Origin:
1850–55; anti- + Macassar ( oil )
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2010.
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an·ti·ma·cas·sar   (ān'tĭ-mə-kās'ər)   
n.  A protective covering for the backs of chairs and sofas.

[anti- + Macassar, a brand of hair oil.]
The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition
Copyright © 2009 by Houghton Mifflin Company.
Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.
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Word Origin & History

antimacassar 
coined 1852, from anti- + macassar oil, imported hair tonic from Sulawesi. Cloth to protect chair and sofa fabric from people leaning their oily heads back against it.
Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2001 Douglas Harper
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