A type of fabric with loops on both sides, commonly used for towels, or a unisex given name.
The fabric term comes from French 'tirer' meaning 'to pull,' referring to the pulled loops in the weaving process. As a name, it's a diminutive of Terence (from Latin) or Teresa (possibly from Greek).
Terry cloth was invented in France in the 1840s and revolutionized bathing culture because it was the first fabric specifically designed to absorb water efficiently. The loops can hold up to 20 times their weight in water.
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