What does corduroy mean?
Word: Corduroy
Part of Speech: Noun
Meaning: Corduroy means a thick, strong cotton cloth with soft raised lines running along it, used for trousers and jackets.
Word origin: Its origin is not certain. It first appeared in English in the late 1700s as the name of a hard-wearing cloth.
How do you spell corduroy?
Syllables: cor - du - roy
Tricky part: The vowel in the middle is hardly heard, so it turns into corderoy or vanishes in cordroy. It is a u.
Watch out for: corderoy, cordroy
Memory tip: Corduroy trousers are durable, and durable lends the word the du in its middle.
Corduroy in a sentence
Example 1: Nani sewed a warm corduroy jacket for my cousin in Shimla.
Example 2: These brown corduroy trousers have lasted me three winters.
Example 3: The cushion covers are made of green corduroy, soft enough to fall asleep on.
Fun Fact
A popular story says the name comes from the French corde du roi, the cord of the king, but word experts doubt it, as no such French term has been found from that time.
Practise the CREST Way
Spellacadabra
Choose the correct option to make a meaningful word:
cordur__
a) ey
b) ie
c) oy
d) oi
Show answer
c) oy. The word closes with the same two letters as boy and toy.
Spell Spies
Choose the pair which has a spelling error:
a) corduroy : trousers
b) denim : jeans
c) cotton : handkercheif
d) wool : cardigan
Show answer
c) cotton : handkercheif. Handkerchief has i before e near the end; every other word in the pairs is spelt correctly.
Sound Check
In which word is 'or' pronounced differently?
a) world
b) corduroy
c) orchard
d) portion
Show answer
a) world. World has the vowel of bird; elsewhere the or sounds like the word oar.
Word Puzzle
Match the words with their meanings:
1. corduroy 2. muslin 3. tweed a. rough woollen cloth, often flecked with colour b. ribbed cloth with a velvety feel c. fine, thin cotton cloth
a) 1-b, 2-c, 3-a
b) 1-c, 2-b, 3-a
c) 1-c, 2-a, 3-b
d) 1-a, 2-c, 3-b
Show answer
a) 1-b, 2-c, 3-a. The ribs give corduroy away, muslin is light and thin, and tweed is the rough wool of country jackets.
Multiple Choice Questions
1. A tailor would be least likely to choose corduroy for ___.
a) a raincoat for the monsoon
b) a pinafore for a toddler
c) a pair of school trousers
d) a jacket for a hill station
Show answer
a) a raincoat for the monsoon
2. Someone choosing corduroy for a pair of trousers is probably looking for ___.
a) full protection from rain
b) warmth and long wear
c) a smooth, shiny finish
d) a light, airy summer feel
Show answer
b) warmth and long wear
