n. pl. cal·a·man·coes A glossy fabric of wool or a wool blend, traditionally having a checked pattern on one side. [Perhaps from alteration of Spanish calamaco, perhaps from Medieval Latin calamaucum, a kind of tall clerical headdress, cap of cloth made of camel hair, variant of camelaucium, camelaucum, ultimately (possibly with influence from Greek kamēlos, camel) from Byzantine Greek kamēlaukion, kamelaukion, a kind of close-fitting rounded crown like a skullcap, possibly from kamēla, drinking bowl, wine cup, from Latin camella, from diminutive of camera, vault; see CHAMBER.] |
The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition copyright ©2022 by HarperCollins Publishers. All rights reserved.