shahtoosh

English

A shahtoosh (shawl)

Alternative forms

• shahtush, shatoosh

Etymology

Borrowed from Persian [Term?], meaning "king of fine wools".

Noun

shahtoosh (countable and uncountable, plural shahtooshes or shahtoosh)

1. (countable) A light but warm Kashmiri shawl made with hair from the chiru, or Tibetan antelope (Pantholops hodgsonii), an endangered species.
   • 2007, Paul Theroux, “Monkey Hill”, in The Elephanta Suite, Toronto: McClelland and Stewart, →ISBN, page 43:

     These are first-quality shatoosh. Made from chin hairs of very rare Tibetan antelope. Woven in Kashmir.

2. (uncountable) Fibre used in the making of such shawls.