World Languages Lexicon
10 Language-to-English DictionariesCalico
/ˈkæl.ɪ.koʊ/Comprehensive Definitions & Senses
2 senses- 1
A plain-woven cotton cloth printed with a figured pattern, typically brightly colored.
"She sewed a lightweight summer dress out of a cheerful blue and yellow calico." - 2
A domestic cat having fur with patches of white, black, and orange or yellow.
"Their new pet was a spirited calico that loved to sleep in the afternoon sun."
Thesaurus & Semantic Spectrum
Linguistic Origin & Historical Etymology
The word originates from the late 16th century, derived from Calicut (now Kozhikode), a city in southwestern India from which this type of cotton cloth was first exported to Europe. Over time, the term shifted in American English to also describe cats with patched coats of three distinct colors, resembling the multicolored patterns of the fabric.
Which of the following is the closest synonym for "Calico"?
10 Global Lexicons: How "Calico" is said worldwide
Click any language below to open its dedicated Language to English dictionary page with native script & transliteration
indienne
Transliteration: /ɛ̃.djɛn/
"Elle porte une robe en indienne pour la fête du village."
Kaliko
Transliteration: /kaˈliːko/
"Die dreifarbige Katze wurde als Glücksbringer angesehen."
indiana
Transliteration: /inˈdja.na/
"Il tessuto di cotone stampato era morbido e leggero."
indianas
Transliteration: /inˈdje.nas/
"Compró varias telas de indianas para hacer cortinas."
chita
Transliteration: /ˈʃi.tɐ/
"A gata calico dormia placidamente no sofá."
छीट
Transliteration: chheet
"उसने छीट के कपड़े से एक सुंदर कुर्ता बनाया।"
印花布
Transliteration: yìn huā bù
"这件衣服是用彩色印花布做的。"
캘리코
Transliteration: kael-i-ko
"삼색털 고양이는 종종 캘리코라고 불립니다."
キャラコ
Transliteration: kyarako
"三毛猫は英語でキャリコ・キャットと呼ばれます。"
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