A silky fabric or yarn made from the hair of the Angora goat; the long, lustrous hair of this goat.
From Arabic mukhayyar meaning 'choice' or 'select,' referring to the high quality of this fiber. The word entered English through various European languages in the 16th century, possibly through Italian mocaiarro or Spanish moer. The term originally described the finest quality goat hair fabric, prized for its softness and sheen in Arabic textile traditions.
This luxury fabric's name literally means 'the chosen one' in Arabic! Arabic textile merchants were so proud of this premium goat hair that they named it 'the select quality,' and that mark of excellence stuck as the word traveled through European fashion markets.
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