Nankeen

2 definitions found

From The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48 [gcide]:

  Nankeen \Nan*keen"\, n. [So called from its being originally
     manufactured at Nankin (Nanjing), in China.] [Written also
     {nankin}.]
     1. A species of cloth, of a firm texture, originally brought
        from China, made of a species of cotton ({Gossypium
        religiosum}) that is naturally of a brownish yellow color


        quite indestructible and permanent.
        [1913 Webster]
  
     2. An imitation of this cloth by artificial coloring.
        [1913 Webster]
  
     3. pl. Trousers made of nankeen. --Ld. Lytton.
        [1913 Webster]
  
     {Nankeen bird} (Zool.), the Australian night heron
        ({Nycticorax Caledonicus}); -- called also {quaker}.
        [1913 Webster]

From WordNet (r) 2.0 [wn]:

  nankeen
       n : a durable fabric formerly loomed by hand in China from
           natural cotton having a yellowish color