What does antimacassar mean?
An antimacassar is a small ornamental cloth laid over the back or arms of a chair, sofa, or headrest to protect the underlying upholstery from grease, dirt, and wear — particularly from the hair oils once popular among men. The name derives from Macassar oil, a hair dressing imported from the Indonesian port of Makassar that became fashionable in the early nineteenth century; since the oil stained furniture, households countered it with these washable covers, literally 'anti-Macassar' cloths. Typically made of lace, crochet, or embroidered linen, antimacassars became a staple of Victorian and Edwardian parlours and railway carriages alike. Although largely obsolete as a household necessity, they survive as heirloom needlework and antique-shop curiosities, and the word itself endures as a charmingly specific piece of domestic vocabulary, evoking an era of formal drawing rooms and meticulous housekeeping.
nounA small decorative cloth placed over the back or arms of a chair or sofa to protect the upholstery from wear, dirt, or hair oil.
- A decorative protective cloth draped over the back or arms of a chair, sofa, or headrest to shield the fabric from hair oils and soiling.
"The Victorian armchairs still wore their lace antimacassars, crisp and white against the dark velvet."
"Grandmother crocheted a fresh antimacassar for every chair in the parlour."
"On long train journeys, antimacassars were pinned to the headrests to keep the upholstery clean."
Standard regular plural; sets covering several chairs are naturally described in the plural.
"A set of six matching antimacassars adorned the parlour suite."
The antimacassar exists because Victorian men slicked their hair with greasy Macassar oil — and housewives fought back with washable cloth.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Etymology of antimacassar
The word 'antimacassar' was coined in the mid-nineteenth century from 'anti-' plus 'Macassar', referring to Macassar (or macassar) oil, a popular men's hair dressing named after Makassar, a port on the Indonesian island of Sulawesi through which the oil's ingredients were exported. As the oily pomade stained chair backs, protective cloths were devised to counter it, and the name stuck. The place name Makassar itself entered European languages through Malay and Portuguese trading contacts in Southeast Asia.
How antimacassar is actually used
Strongly associated with the Victorian and Edwardian eras; today the word carries a quaint, old-fashioned connotation and appears mostly in historical, antique-collecting, or nostalgic contexts. The term is more familiar in Britain than the United States.
Easily confused with antimacassar
"Macassar" refers to a port in Indonesia (and the hair oil named after it), while an "antimacassar" is the protective cloth used to guard furniture against that very oil.