noun
corduroy
KAW-duh-roy
Corduroy (noun) means a heavy, ribbed cotton fabric with fine raised, parallel lines running down it. Example: “He wore a pair of brown corduroy trousers to the interview.”
noun
1
A heavy, ribbed cotton fabric with fine raised, parallel lines running down it.
"He wore a pair of brown corduroy trousers to the interview."
"The jacket was made of thick green corduroy."
2
The rippled pattern left in snow by a grooming machine, popular with skiers and snowboarders.
"The morning run was freshly groomed corduroy, smooth and fast."
adj
1
Describing a road or path built from logs laid side by side across it.
"The old corduroy road still crosses the marsh outside town."
How to use corduroy
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishA thick fabric with raised ribbed lines, or the similar ribbed pattern left in groomed snow.
Easily confused with
Common pairings
corduroy trousers
corduroy jacket
wide-wale corduroy
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Word forms
- Plural
- corduroys
- Third person singular
- corduroys
- Past tense
- corduroyed
Fill the gap
Can you complete this real example?
He wore a pair of brown _____ trousers to the interview.
Etymology
Origin is disputed. It probably comes from "cord" plus "duroy," a coarse English fabric from the 1600s — not, as often claimed, from French for "cloth of the king," a phrase that doesn't actually exist in French.
Class of 1600
corduroy joined the language around 1600.
See the full Class of 1600 →
Synonyms
View more →Related words
Rhymes for corduroy
See all rhymes for corduroy →Frequently asked questions
What does “corduroy” mean?
The word “corduroy” means a heavy, ribbed cotton fabric with fine raised, parallel lines running down it. In plain terms, a thick fabric with raised ribbed lines, or the similar ribbed pattern left in groomed snow.
How do you pronounce “corduroy”?
“Corduroy” is pronounced KAW-duh-roy (/ˈkɔɹdəɹɔɪ/ in IPA).
How do you use “corduroy” in a sentence?
Here is “corduroy” used in a sentence: “He wore a pair of brown corduroy trousers to the interview.”
What part of speech is “corduroy”?
Depending on how it is used, “corduroy” can be a noun and an adjective.
Where does the word “corduroy” come from?
The word “corduroy” dates back to around 1600 and comes from French. Origin is disputed. It probably comes from "cord" plus "duroy," a coarse English fabric from the 1600s — not, as often claimed, from French for "cloth of the king," a phrase that doesn't actually exist in French.
How many meanings does “corduroy” have?
“Corduroy” has 3 distinct senses listed in this dictionary. The most common is: a heavy, ribbed cotton fabric with fine raised, parallel lines running down it.
