What does prunello mean?
Prunello is the name of a fine woollen fabric resembling satin that was fashionable for clothing during the 17th, 18th, and 19th centuries. Its smooth, lustrous surface made it suitable for garments such as waistcoats, gowns, and other tailored or ceremonial clothing. Although it was valued as a textile, prunello is no longer part of ordinary English and is now encountered mainly in historical writing, costume descriptions, and literature set in earlier periods. The name also has a complicated spelling relationship with prunella, another form once used for the same fabric. Today that spelling is more familiar from names given to a genus of aromatic mints and to a sauce flavoured with those herbs. Within the older textile sense, prunello is normally treated as a material rather than as a countable item, although a single length or piece may be called “a prunello.”
nounA fine woollen fabric resembling satin, used especially for clothing in the 17th to 19th centuries. The term is now chiefly historical or literary.
- A fine woollen fabric with a smooth, lustrous surface, formerly used for garments and other clothing.
"Her gown was made of lustrous prunello, its dark surface catching the candlelight."
"The merchant displayed bolts of prunello for the making of waistcoats and gowns."
"In her historical novel, the author described the merchant's fashionable suit as dark prunello."
The fabric is usually referred to as an uncountable material; the plural is possible for individually counted pieces but is uncommon.
"The shopkeeper kept several prunellos in reserve for the winter season."
Once prized for a satin-like sheen, prunello has faded from everyday speech while surviving in the history of fine clothing.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Etymology of prunello
The word entered English in the 17th century from French prunelle, originally a name for a plum and subsequently for a fine woollen cloth. French prunelle derives from Medieval Latin prunella, a diminutive of Latin prunum, meaning “plum” or “prune.” The textile's name is traditionally connected with the colour of a dark plum, and English prunella became an alternative spelling before the shorter form prunello became predominant.
How prunello is actually used
Now rare and chiefly historical or literary. It refers to a textile, not a particular colour, although the cloth could be made in various colours.
Easily confused with prunello
Prunella is a modern alternative spelling for the historical woollen fabric, but it also names a genus of mints and a sauce made from those mints.