Named after Kashmir, the Himalayan region from which the fine goatwool was originally exported to Europe.
Definition
Fine, softwoolobtained from the undercoat of cashmere goats, or fabric woven from this wool.
The Full Story
English (from a place name)1822 (for the fabric)well-attested
Named after Kashmir, the Himalayan region (in present-dayIndia and Pakistan) from which the fine goat wool was originally exported to Europe. The name 'Kashmir' derives from Sanskrit 'Kaśmīra,' of uncertain ultimate origin. One traditional etymology connects it to the sage Kashyapa ('kaśyapa-mīra,' meaning 'Kashyapa's lake'), referring to the legend that the Kashmir Valley was once a great lake drained by the sage Kashyapa. The fabric itself comes
Did you know?
A single cashmere goatproduces only about 150 grams (5 ounces) of usable fibre per year — enough for roughly one scarf. It takes the fleece of three to four goats to make a single sweater. This scarcity, combined with the extraordinary softness of the fibre (each strand is about one-sixth the diameter of a human hair), explains
it further. The word has become entirely detached from its geographical origin — most people who wear cashmere have no idea they are wearing a place name. Key roots: Kaśmīra (Sanskrit: "the Kashmir region (possibly 'Kashyapa's lake')").