What does cotton mean?
Cotton is the soft, fluffy white fiber that grows around the seeds of plants of the genus Gossypium. Prized for millennia because it is strong, absorbent, and comfortable against the skin, it is spun into thread and woven into cloth, making it one of the world's most important textile fibers. The word also refers to the plant itself and to any fabric made from the fiber, as in 'a crisp cotton shirt.' In everyday speech, cotton carries connotations of softness, purity, and naturalness — hence expressions like 'candy floss is like spun cotton.' Informally, the word works as a verb in two regional phrasal idioms: British speakers 'cotton on' when they come to understand something, while American speakers 'cotton to' something when they grow fond of it. Economically and historically, few words are so entwined with trade, industry, and social change, from ancient weaving traditions to the industrial revolution.
The soft, white fibrous substance surrounding the seeds of the cotton plant, harvested and spun into thread for making textiles.
"Egyptian cotton is prized for its long, silky fibers."
Usually uncountable; the plural 'cottons' refers to varieties of cotton cloth.
The cotton plant itself, a shrub of the genus Gossypium cultivated for its fibrous seed pods.
"The fields of cotton stretched to the horizon before harvest."
Fabric, thread, or yarn made from cotton fiber.
"She bought a dress in lightweight cotton for the summer."
(Informal) To come to understand, realize, or take a liking to something, used only in the phrasal forms 'cotton on' and 'cotton to'.
"He didn't cotton to the idea of moving to a smaller house."
'Cotton on' is chiefly British ('to catch on'); 'cotton to' is chiefly American ('to become fond of'). Both are informal.
Rarely used; 'cottons' appears mainly in the textile trade to refer to different kinds or grades of cotton cloth.
"The shop stocked fine Indian cottons alongside sturdy denim."
Before Eli Whitney's cotton gin in 1793, cleaning a single pound of cotton by hand could take an entire day.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Etymology of cotton
The word 'cotton' entered Middle English from Old French 'coton,' which itself came from Arabic 'quṭn,' the term for the cotton plant and its fiber. The Arabic word spread widely across European languages during the medieval period, giving rise to cognates such as Spanish 'algodón' (with the Arabic definite article preserved), French 'coton,' and Dutch 'katoen.' English adopted the word by the late Middle Ages, and it has been the standard English name for the fiber ever since.
Related word forms
How cotton is actually used
As a verb, 'cotton' is informal and always appears in the phrasal forms 'cotton on' (chiefly British: to realize or understand) and 'cotton to' (chiefly American: to take a liking to). The noun is uncountable when referring to the raw fiber or fabric, but takes the plural 'cottons' when referring to types of cotton cloth.