What does velour mean?
Velour is a fabric with a short, dense pile that gives it a soft, velvet-like surface. It may be woven from cotton, silk, wool, or synthetic fibers and is especially common in upholstery, curtains, cushions, and clothing. Unlike traditional velvet, which is usually associated with silk and a particularly smooth, lustrous pile, velour is a broader textile category that can vary considerably in softness and appearance. The word therefore describes both an ordinary practical fabric and one chosen for a luxurious or inviting effect. Color and surface texture are often more important than the precise fiber content: furniture described as having velour upholstery may be intended to feel warm, substantial, and visually rich. Velour should not be confused with all velvet, since the terms overlap but are not exact equivalents. It is ultimately an old word with an unexpectedly concrete history, deriving through French from a Latin term associated with animal hide and shaggy hair.
nounA dense-pile fabric with a soft, velvet-like nap, used especially for upholstery, clothing, and other decorative textiles.
- A dense-pile fabric with a soft, velvet-like nap, used especially for upholstery, clothing, and decorative textiles.
"The armchair was reupholstered in deep-blue velour."
"A sofa upholstered in brown velour gave the room a warm, luxurious appearance."
"The designer chose a richly colored velour for the theatre curtains."
Velours is the traditional plural form and is also a less common variant spelling of velour in some dictionaries and older usage.
"The showroom offered the armchairs in several velours, including green, charcoal, and burgundy."
Velour's name reaches back to Latin vellus, meaning hide or skin—an earthy origin for a fabric associated with luxury and tactile pleasure.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Where does velour come from?
English borrowed the word in the early 17th century from French velours, from Old French velours, meaning velvet. The French word came from Latin velutus, meaning shaggy or hairy, ultimately connected with vellus, the Latin word for hide or skin. Velvet and velveteen also belong to this same etymological family, while vellum and vellus preserve the related Latin root more directly.
Related word forms
How velour is actually used
Velour is primarily a textile and interior-design term. It is more common in descriptions of furniture, furnishings, and clothing than in general conversation, and it often suggests softness, richness, or an expensive appearance.
Easily confused with velour
Velour is a broader term for a dense-pile fabric that may be made from cotton, silk, wool, or synthetics, whereas velvet traditionally denotes a softer, lustrous pile fabric most closely associated with silk.
Velour is the standard name of the fabric in modern English, while velours is a less common variant spelling and is also used as the noun's plural form.