calico

[ kal-i-koh ]

noun

, plural cal·i·coes, cal·i·cos.

1. a plain-woven cotton cloth printed with a figured pattern, usually on one side.
2. British. plain white cotton cloth.
3. an animal having a spotted or particolored coat.
4. Obsolete. a figured cotton cloth from India.

adjective

1. made of calico.
2. resembling printed calico; spotted or mottled.

calico

/ ˈkælɪˌkəʊ /

noun

1. a white or unbleached cotton fabric with no printed design
2. a coarse printed cotton fabric
3. modifier made of calico

Word History and Origins

Origin of calico¹

1495–1505; short for Calico cloth, variant of Calicut cloth, named after city in India which originally exported it

Word History and Origins

Origin of calico¹

C16: based on Calicut, town in India

Example Sentences

The curious calico and her orange tomcat friend, Monu, had recently been sterilized and returned to the market.

From Salon

Meet Zia, my dilute calico who enjoys chasing droplets of water in the tub and lying flat on her back, like a fluffy rug in a log cabin.

From Los Angeles Times

They worked in collaboration with Ivorian fashion label Super Yaya to artfully drape strips of white calico cotton fabric across the entrance.

From BBC

There were dogs inside, so Rabang slept in the car with Poke — the calico she adopted after deciding she wanted the oldest, ugliest cat in the shelter, her daughter said.

From Seattle Times

And I wanted to show those little calico cottons or those little things that were of that era.

From Los Angeles Times

Related Words

• cotton
• goods
• material
• stuff