shawl
UK[ʃɔːl]US[ʃɑːl]
n
a large piece of cloth worn by a woman around the shoulders or head, or wrapped around a baby.
Etymology
The word 'shawl' entered English in the 17th century from Persian, via Urdu and other Indian languages. It originates from the Persian 'shāl', which referred to a specific type of fine woolen fabric and the garment made from it, named after the city of Shālāt in India. The term was adopted into English by British colonists and traders in South Asia, where the garment was commonly worn. Over time, its meaning generalized in English to refer to any large, often rectangular, piece of fabric worn for warmth or fashion around the shoulders or head, losing its exclusive association with the specific Persian fabric.
Analysis
This word is a simplex loanword. It does not contain separable morphemes within its modern English spelling.
Examples
She draped a soft woolen shawl over her shoulders to ward off the evening chill.
The intricate embroidery on her silk shawl was a family heirloom.
The new mother carefully wrapped her infant in a lightweight shawl.