What does camelhair mean?
Camelhair is the fine, soft underhair of the two-humped Bactrian camel, prized for centuries as one of nature's warmest and lightest fibres. Woven or knitted—often blended with wool—it appears chiefly in coats, blazers, scarves, and sweaters, where it carries strong connotations of understated luxury. The word also names a distinctive tan-yellowish-brown colour, so familiar in menswear that it has become shorthand for classic tailoring. A curious quirk: the so-called camelhair brush beloved of watercolourists is rarely made of camel hair at all, but takes its name from its colour rather than its source. Written variously as 'camelhair' or 'camel hair', the term sits comfortably among other luxury fibres such as cashmere, mohair, and alpaca, each denoting animal undercoats turned into cloth.
The soft, fine underhair of the camel, used as a textile fibre; fabric or clothing made from it.
"The tailor recommended camelhair for a coat that would be both warm and lightweight."
A moderate tan-yellowish-brown colour resembling that of camel hair.
"He chose his suit in a muted camelhair shade."
A soft artist's paintbrush, traditionally called a camel-hair brush though typically made from squirrel or other hair.
"For delicate watercolour work she preferred a fine camelhair brush."
Usually uncountable when referring to the fibre; the plural applies mainly to individual brushes.
"She kept three camelhairs in her brush roll for fine detail work."
A camelhair artist's brush isn't made of camel hair at all — it's usually squirrel or other soft hair, named simply for its colour!
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Etymology of camelhair
The word is transparently a compound of 'camel', which entered English via Latin 'camelus' from Greek 'kamēlos', itself borrowed from a Semitic source such as Hebrew 'gāmāl'. The combination 'camel hair' arose naturally to name the fibre harvested from the animal's moulted undercoat, long traded along routes between Central Asia and Europe. Related coinages include 'cameline', an obsolete term for camel-hair cloth, and 'camelid', the zoological family embracing camels and their South American relatives.
How camelhair is actually used
Often written as two words ('camel hair'), especially attributively before a noun. The fibre connotes luxury and warmth without weight, placing it alongside cashmere in register.
Easily confused with camelhair
Cashmere comes from goats (notably the Kashmir goat), whereas camelhair is the undercoat of the camel.