What does "corduroy" mean?
A heavy fabric, usually made of cotton, with vertical ribs.
Corduroy
/ˈkɔːdəɹɔɪ/ adj, noun, verb, slang
adj, noun, verb, slang ·Common ·Middle school level
Meaning at a glance
- Primary sense: A heavy fabric, usually made of cotton, with vertical ribs.
- Grammar: corduroy is listed as adj, noun, verb, slang.
- Nearest alternatives: acetate, acetate rayon, alpaca, aralac.
- Useful contrasts: asphalt road, even, paved road.
- Usage evidence: Do you know the difference between twill and corduroy?
How to use "corduroy"
- Start with the primary definition, then check the part of speech before placing the word in a sentence.
- Compare nearby synonyms to make sure "corduroy" 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 "corduroy" 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 "corduroy" as the right word for your sentence.
If your draft is formal, technical, persuasive, or sensitive, compare "corduroy" with a nearby alternative so the final choice matches both meaning and reader expectation.
Compare nearby meanings
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- 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 "corduroy" is acting as adj, noun, verb, slang 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 "acetate" 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 "corduroy", 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 heavy fabric, usually made of cotton, with vertical ribs. countable, uncountable
"Sunning himself on the board steps, I saw for the first time Mr. Farquhar Fenelon Cooke.[…]A silver snaffle on a heavy leather watch guard which connected the pockets of his corduroy waistcoat, together with a huge gold stirrup in his Ascot tie, sufficiently proclaimed his tastes."
- 2 a cut pile fabric with vertical ribs; usually made of cotton wordnet
- 3 Cheap and poor-quality whiskey. Ireland, countable, obsolete, slang, uncountable
"Another description of what would be termed adulterated spirits, is by the vulgar termed "Corduroy," on account of the rough feeling which it imparts to the tongue and palate."
- 4 a road made of logs laid crosswise wordnet
- 5 A pattern on snow resulting from the use of a snow groomer to pack snow and improve skiing, snowboarding and snowmobile trail conditions. Corduroy is widely regarded as a good surface on which to ski or ride. countable, uncountable
Verb
- 1 To make (a road) by laying down split logs or tree-trunks over a marsh, swamp etc.
"The night was very dark and it rained heavily, the roads were so bad that the troops had to cut trees and corduroy the road a part of the way, to get through."
- 2 build (a road) from logs laid side by side wordnet
Adjective
- 1 Of a road, path, etc., paved with split or round logs laid crosswise side by side. not-comparable
"Swamps had to be crossed by means of corduroy causeways; made by cutting down trees and laying them horizontally on the quivering mass of boggy ground."
Antonyms
Example
"Do you know the difference between twill and corduroy?"
Common questions
What is a synonym for "corduroy"?
Common synonyms include: acetate, acetate rayon, alpaca, aralac, arras, astrakhan.
How do you use "corduroy" in a sentence?
Do you know the difference between twill and corduroy?
How do you pronounce "corduroy"?
Pronounced /ˈkɔːdəɹɔɪ/.
Etymology
Origin uncertain. Probably from cord + duroy (“a 17th century coarse fabric made in England”). Probably not from French *corde du roi (“cloth of the king”), which is unattested in French, where the term for the corduroy is velours côtelé. Possibly from cordesoy from corde de soie (“rope of silk or silk-like fabric”), named for example in a 1756 advertisement for clothing fabrics; see Wikipedia article, and comparable in language form to the contemporary serg(e)dusoys (“silk serge”), see Serge (fabric).