shawl

[ shawl ]

noun

1. a square, triangular, or oblong piece of wool or other material worn, especially by women, about the shoulders, or the head and shoulders, in place of a coat or hat outdoors, and indoors as protection against chill or dampness.

shawl

/ ʃɔːl /

noun

1. a piece of fabric or knitted or crocheted material worn around the shoulders by women or wrapped around a baby

Other Words From

• shawlless adjective
• shawllike adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of shawl¹

First recorded in 1655–65, shawl is from the Persian word shāl

Word History and Origins

Origin of shawl¹

C17: from Persian shāl

Example Sentences

His earliest memories of fabric were totally sensory, he said, recalling the downy feel of a jamawar shawl at home in Srinagar and the soft warmth of his mother's shahtoosh saris.

From BBC

With a metatheatrical nod and a graceful swap of a shawl, Auberjonois then plays the comedian for the majority of the piece.

From Los Angeles Times

He has even tried to highlight their resemblence to each other, growing out his moustache and wearing Mahinda’s trademark red shawl.

From BBC

Keep blankets or shawls available for guests in case the temperature drops during the evening.

From Seattle Times

For the swimsuit portion of the Miss Argentina contest, Rodríguez chose a modest one-piece suit with a shawl draped over her shoulders, giving the crowd a shimmy as fans whooped and blew air horns.

From Seattle Times

Related Words

• cloth
• scarf
• stole