The word **mohair** is a triumph of folk etymology: an Arabic word meaning "choice" or "select" was gradually reshaped by English speakers who heard the familiar word *hair* within it, creating a false but irresistible connection to the animal fiber the word describes.
## Arabic Origins
The source is Arabic *mukhayyar* (مخيّر), meaning "choice" or "select," derived from the verb *khayyara* (to choose). In Arabic textile terminology, *mukhayyar* described a particularly fine, carefully selected fabric. The word did not originally refer specifically to goat fiber but to the quality of the cloth — it was choice material, whatever its origin.
## Italian Transmission
The word entered European languages through Italian, where it appeared as *mocaiarro* or similar forms. Italy's textile industry, centered in cities like Florence and Venice, was the primary channel through which Middle Eastern fabrics and their names reached Northern Europe. The Italian form already showed some phonetic transformation from the Arabic original.
When English adopted the word in the 16th century, speakers gradually reshaped its pronunciation and spelling to include the recognizable element *hair*. This is a classic case of folk etymology — the unconscious reinterpretation of an opaque foreign word in terms of familiar native elements. Since mohair is indeed an animal fiber (from the Angora goat), the false etymology seemed perfectly logical and stuck permanently. The actual Arabic meaning
Mohair comes from the Angora goat, a breed named after Ankara (historically Angora), the capital of Turkey, where the breed originated. Angora goats produce a fiber that is smoother, more lustrous, and more durable than sheep's wool, with a distinctive sheen that makes it prized for luxury textiles. Individual Angora goats can produce 5 to 8 kilograms of fiber per year.
## Angora Confusion
Mohair should not be confused with angora fiber, which comes from the Angora rabbit — a completely different animal also named after Ankara. Mohair is stronger, more lustrous, and more durable than angora; angora is softer, fluffier, and more insulating. The shared place-name origin creates persistent confusion between these two distinct fibers.
South Africa, the United States (particularly Texas), and Turkey are the leading producers of mohair. The fiber is used in suits, coats, scarves, upholstery, and knitting yarn. Kid mohair (from young Angora goats) is the finest and softest grade. The global mohair industry continues to value the fiber for the same properties the Arabic name originally