A variant or archaic form referring to a small check or pattern; possibly related to embroidered or woven patterns with a check design.
Possibly from 'chequer' with the diminutive suffix '-een', or influenced by Persian 'chikein'. Historical usage suggests textile or decorative applications in early modern English.
This is one of those wonderfully obscure words that almost vanished from English—it appears in old textile and embroidery records but has nearly disappeared from modern use!
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