crinoline
UK[ˈkrɪn.əl.ɪn]US[ˈkrɪn.əl.ɪn]
n
a stiff fabric originally made of horsehair and linen or cotton thread, used to stiffen garments or in hatmaking.
n
a stiff petticoat or a framework of hoops formerly worn under a skirt to give it a full, bell-like shape.
Morpheme Breakdown
crin
o
line
crin
hair
o
line
flax/linen
Etymology
The word 'crinoline' is a direct borrowing from French, which itself was a compound of Latin elements. It literally means 'hair-linen', derived from 'crinis' (hair) and 'linum' (flax/linen). This name accurately describes the original material of the fabric, which was a stiff, woven combination of horsehair and linen or cotton thread. Over the 19th century, the meaning shifted from the material itself to the structural undergarment made from it, designed to expand the silhouette of women's skirts. Thus, the term's journey reflects a concrete-to-abstract evolution, from the literal composition of a textile to the iconic fashion item it produced.
Analysis
Structure: crin (hair) + o + line (flax/linen)
crin (from latin 'crinis', meaning 'hair'); o (a connecting vowel); line (from latin 'linum', meaning 'flax' or 'linen').
Examples
The Victorian dress required a wide crinoline to achieve its distinctive bell shape.
The costumer used modern synthetic materials to replicate the effect of a historical crinoline.
Early crinolines were made from a stiff fabric of horsehair and linen.