Satin is a smooth, shiny fabric with a glossy front and a dull back. It is often used for fancy clothing, ribbons, and bedding.
From Old French *satin*, from Arabic *zaytūnī*, possibly meaning 'from Zaytūn', an old name for the Chinese port of Quanzhou, a center of silk trade. The fabric’s name may come from where it was first imported.
Satin’s shine comes from how it’s woven, not from a special fiber—it can be made from silk, polyester, or other threads. The word may carry the memory of a single trading port that dazzled buyers centuries ago. Sometimes one city’s specialty becomes the world’s word for luxury.
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