percale

From French percale, of uncertain origin; probably compare percaulah.

• (UK) IPA^(key): /pəˈkeɪl/, /pəˈkɑːl/
• Rhymes: -eɪl

percale (countable and uncountable, plural percales)

1. (textiles) A fine, closely woven fabric, made from cotton, polyester or a mix of these, and used for sheets and clothing.
   • 1976 September, Saul Bellow, Humboldt’s Gift, New York, N.Y.: Avon Books, →ISBN, page 403:

     In her percale bed. In her heaven of piled pillows.

• replace

Borrowed from an Indian language (possibly Tamil), originally from Classical Persian پرگاله (pargāla, “a patch, a percale”).

• IPA^(key): /pɛʁ.kal/

• Audio:

  (file)

percale f (uncountable)

1. percale

• Ottoman Turkish: پركال (perkal)
  • Turkish: perkal
• → Spanish: percal

• “percale”, in Trésor de la langue française informatisé [Digitized Treasury of the French Language], 2012.