What does "chamois" mean?
A short-horned goat antelope native to mountainous terrain in southern Europe; Rupicapra rupicapra.
Chamois
/ˈʃæmwɑː/ adj, noun, verb
adj, noun, verb ·Moderate ·High school level
Meaning at a glance
- Primary sense: A short-horned goat antelope native to mountainous terrain in southern Europe; Rupicapra rupicapra.
- Grammar: chamois is listed as adj, noun, verb.
- Nearest alternatives: chamois leather, rupicapra rupicapra, alpine chamois, animal.
- Useful contrasts: dark, hard leather, rough cloth.
- Usage evidence: The chamois is an emblematic species of the Alps.
How to use "chamois"
- Start with the primary definition, then check the part of speech before placing the word in a sentence.
- Compare nearby synonyms to make sure "chamois" carries the exact meaning, tone, and strength you need.
- Use the example sentence as a context check. If your sentence uses the word differently, confirm that the grammar still fits.
Meaning check
- Does the word fit the sentence's grammar?
- Does it match the intended tone rather than only the dictionary definition?
- Would a simpler synonym be clearer for the reader?
- Is there enough surrounding context to prevent ambiguity?
Source and review context
This entry combines structured lexical data with WordToolSet review checks. Definitions, examples, synonyms, and usage notes may come from different source tables, so the page is designed to show evidence from more than one angle before you rely on "chamois" in a final draft.
If a word has several senses, prefer the sense that matches your sentence's grammar and surrounding context. A correct definition can still be the wrong choice when the sentence needs a different register, emphasis, or level of specificity.
Before you rely on this definition
Read the first definition as a starting point, then check the example, synonyms, and part of speech before treating "chamois" as the right word for your sentence.
If your draft is formal, technical, persuasive, or sensitive, compare "chamois" with a nearby alternative so the final choice matches both meaning and reader expectation.
Compare nearby meanings
- Use synonyms when you need a softer, stronger, simpler, or more specific word.
- Use antonyms to check the boundary of the meaning and avoid accidental contrast.
- Use the example sentence to confirm the word behaves naturally in context.
- Keep the original wording when a replacement adds complexity without improving precision.
Definition decision workflow
1. Identify the role
Check whether "chamois" is acting as adj, noun, verb in your sentence. A definition is only useful when the grammar matches the way the word is being used.
2. Test the nearest option
Compare it with "chamois leather" and other nearby choices to see whether the sentence needs a softer, stronger, or more familiar word.
3. Confirm with context
Use the example sentence below as an evidence check, then read your own sentence out loud to catch tone or rhythm problems.
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Final meaning check
Before publishing a sentence with "chamois", ask whether the word helps the reader understand the idea faster. A precise word should reduce confusion, not simply make the sentence look more polished.
When the definition, synonym evidence, and example context point in the same direction, the word is usually a safer choice. When they conflict, revise the sentence or choose a clearer alternative.
Definitions
Noun
- 1 A short-horned goat antelope native to mountainous terrain in southern Europe; Rupicapra rupicapra. countable, uncountable
"When my father returned from Milan, he found playing with me in the hall of our villa a child fairer than pictured cherub – a creature who seemed to shed radiance from her looks and whose form and motions were lighter than the chamois of the hills."
- 2 hoofed mammal of mountains of Eurasia having upright horns with backward-hooked tips wordnet
- 3 Ellipsis of chamois leather (“soft pliable leather originally made from the skin of chamois (nowadays the hides of deer, sheep, and other species of goat are alternatively used)”). abbreviation, alt-of, countable, ellipsis, uncountable
"[H]e seldom donned his armour, substituted costly damask and silk for his war-worn shamoy doublet, and affected at his advanced time of life more gaiety of attire than his contemporaries remembered as distinguishing his early youth."
- 4 a soft suede leather formerly from the skin of the chamois antelope but now from sheepskin wordnet
- 5 The traditional colour of chamois leather. countable, uncountable
Show 2 more definitions
- 6 An absorbent cloth used for cleaning and polishing, formerly made of chamois leather. countable, uncountable
"I took them, breathed on them, polished them with a chamois and hung them on the chandelier."
- 7 A padded insert which protects the groin from the bicycle saddle. countable, uncountable
Verb
- 1 To clean with a chamois leather cloth. transitive
Adjective
- 1 Chamois-colored. not-comparable
Synonyms
All synonymsAntonyms
Example
"The chamois is an emblematic species of the Alps."
Common questions
What is a synonym for "chamois"?
Common synonyms include: chamois leather, rupicapra rupicapra, alpine chamois, animal, antelope, armadillo.
How do you use "chamois" in a sentence?
The chamois is an emblematic species of the Alps.
How do you pronounce "chamois"?
Pronounced /ˈʃæmwɑː/.
Etymology
Borrowed from Middle French chamois, from Late Latin camox, from Gaulish camox (5th c. AD, Polemius Silvius), probably from an extinct Alpine language (Raetic, Ancient Ligurian), possibly Proto-Indo-European *kem- (“without horns”). Compare also Old High German gamiza (“chamois”) (whence modern German Gämse).