brocade

Meanings

1. 1
   noun

   a rich, heavy fabric woven with a raised ornamental design, traditionally using gold or silver thread

   The ceremonial robe was made from crimson brocade threaded with gold.

2. 2
   verb

   to weave or decorate fabric with a raised ornamental pattern

   The workshop brocaded the silk with a repeating design of leaves and birds.

Borrowed in the sixteenth century from Spanish brocado and Italian broccato ("embossed cloth"), originally the past participle of broccare ("to stud"). That verb came from brocco ("small nail"), ultimately Latin broccus ("projecting, pointed"), an image preserved in the fabric's raised design.

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