From French 'chiffe' (rag) — a dramatic semantic elevation from 'rag' to 'luxurious sheer fabric.'
A light, sheer fabric of silk or synthetic fibre; as an adjective, made of or resembling chiffon, or (in cooking) having a light, fluffy texture.
From French 'chiffon' ('rag, scrap of cloth, piece of finery'), a diminutive of 'chiffe' ('rag, old cloth'), of uncertain origin. Some etymologists connect 'chiffe' to an Old French borrowing from a Germanic source related to Middle English 'chip' ('a small piece'). Others suggest an Arabic origin. The semantic journey from 'rag' to 'luxurious sheer fabric' is a remarkable elevation — the humblest of origins for one of fashion's most elegant materials. Key roots: chiffe (Old French: "rag, old cloth
A 'chiffonier' — a tall, narrow chest of drawers — gets its name from the same French root. In French, a 'chiffonnier' was a ragpicker (someone who collected 'chiffons,' rags, from the streets), and the piece of furniture was originally a cabinet for storing scraps and odds and ends. The ragpicker's cupboard was elevated to fine furniture just as the rag was elevated to fine fabric.