moire
UK[mwɑː(r)]US[mwɑːr]
n
A fabric, usually silk, with a wavy or rippled pattern that appears to change as the angle of view changes.
n
A pattern of wavy lines produced by the interference of light when two regular patterns (like grids or lines) are superimposed, often seen in printing or television.
Etymology
The word 'moire' entered English in the mid-17th century from the French word 'moire', itself a borrowing from the English word 'mohair', referring to a fabric made from the hair of the Angora goat. This etymological path reflects a fascinating reborrowing and semantic shift. The French term 'moire' came to refer specifically to a watered or wave-patterned silk, a meaning which English then adopted. The modern, more abstract sense relating to an interference pattern in optics and printing is a metaphorical extension from the visual effect of the fabric, describing a similar shimmering, shifting appearance created by overlapping regular designs.
Analysis
The word is a loanword adopted as a single, unsegmentable unit into English.
Examples
The ball gown was made from a stunning blue moire that shimmered under the lights.
A moire pattern can sometimes be seen on television when a person wears a finely striped suit.
The printer had to adjust the screen angles to avoid an unwanted moire effect in the halftone image.