A stiff fabric with a smooth finish, made from silk or synthetic fibers, historically used for formal clothing and decorative purposes.
Possibly from French 'duc' (duke) combined with a suffix, or derived from place names in textile production regions; the exact origin is uncertain.
Ducape reminds us that fancy fabric names often masked their humble origins—many 'luxury' materials were named after the wealthy who wore them rather than where they were actually made!
Complete word intelligence in one call. Free tier — 50 lookups/day.