percale

[ per-keyl ]

noun

a closely woven, smooth-finished, plain or printed cotton cloth, used for bed sheets, clothing, etc.

Origin of percale

1615–25; <French <Persian pargāla rag; replacing percalla<Persian

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2024

How to use percale in a sentence

So the Brays, as in Nellie's régime, continued to wear the common gray percales, and to eat off the common white crockery.
The Best Short Stories of 1919 | Various
Fine ginghams and percales dipped in sweet milk instead of starch, gives them that dainty, glossy dressing they have when new.
Civic League Cook Book | Anonymous
Strain and use for all dark calicoes, percales, and muslins.
The Ladies Book of Useful Information | Anonymous

British Dictionary definitions for percale

percale

/ (pəˈkeɪl, -ˈkɑːl) /

noun

a close-textured woven cotton fabric, plain or printed, used esp for sheets

Origin of percale

C17: via French from Persian pargālah piece of cloth

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

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