Leatherette

//ˌlɛðəˈɹɛt// noun, slang

Definitions

Noun
  1. 1
    A type of fabric, often plastic, made to imitate the appearance of leather. also, attributive, countable, uncountable

    "Many attempts have been made to supply a material to take the place of leather on cheap books, but hitherto nothing has been quite successful. [...] Such a material has apparently appeared in the form of "Leatherette," which is a kind of felted paper, very tough, the same colour throughout, and which may be grained to imitate leather; indeed, the imitation is so close, both in appearance and in feel, that only a practised eye can perceive that it is not leather."

  2. 2
    fabric made to look like leather wordnet
  3. 3
    A person who dresses in leather or imitation leather. countable, slang

    "The NYU tarts and the club slime, the art holes and the once-a-week bridge-and-tunnel leatherettes, the spikes and the usual dregs and walking garbage, Eel was giving them all the hiss."

Etymology

From leather + -ette (suffix forming nouns meaning an imitation or substitute of something); originally a trademark that has since been genericized.

Next best steps

Mini challenge

Unscramble this word: leatherette