Meanings
plural chiffoniers · alternative chiffonnier
- A tall, elegant chest of drawers, often with a mirror attached.
From the half-open drawers of this chiffonnier hung laces, ribands, stockings, ladies' underclothing and an abdominal brace, which gave the impression that the feminine finery had suffered venery.
1936, Djuna Barnes, Nightwood, Faber & Faber, published 2007, page 712 more examples
"There is nothing of the kind even within view," cried Helen, warmly, "nor any one object that could offend the most fastidious eye, as Mrs. Palmer observed; a duchess might delight in it; every thing is so clean without, and so good within: such beautiful carpets and rugs to match! such handsome chiffoniers, and elegant books!...
1838 (date written), L[etitia] E[lizabeth] L[andon], “(please specify the page)”, in Lady Anne Granard; or, Keeping up Appearances. […], volume I, London: Henry Colburn, […], published 1842, →OCLC, pages 219–220He looked round the poor room, at the distempered walls, and the bad engravings in meretricious frames, the crinkly paper and wax flowers on the chiffonier; and he thought of a room like Father Bryan's, with panelling, with cut glass, with tulips in silver pots, such a room as he had hoped to have for his own.
1918, W[illiam] B[abington] Maxwell, chapter X, in The Mirror and the Lamp, Indianapolis, Ind.: The Bobbs-Merrill Company, →OCLC - One who gathers rags and odds and ends; a ragpicker.
- A receptacle for rags or shreds.
Synonyms & antonyms
Synonym sets from Open English WordNet, CC BY 4.0.
Origin
- Proto-Germanic*kippōną
- Proto-West Germanic*kippōn
- Old English*ċippian
- Old Englishċipp
- Middle Englishchippe
- Old Frenchchippe
- Middle Frenchchiffe
- Frenchchiffe
- Frenchchiffon
- Frenchchiffonnier
- Englishchiffonier
Borrowed from French chiffonnier.
More words from French
Full word history & related roots →Translations
French chiffonnier
- chiffonnierfurniture
Polish szyfoniera
- szyfonierafurniture
Russian шифонье́р
- шифонье́р (šifonʹjér)furniture
Spanish chifonier, sifonier
- chifonierfurniture
- sifonierfurniture
Ukrainian шифоньєр
- шифоньєр (šyfonʹjer)furniture
Rhymes & wordplay
Rhymes with chiffonier
Cite this entry
chiffonier. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 3, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/chiffonier
“chiffonier.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/chiffonier. Accessed November 3, 2026.
WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “chiffonier,” accessed November 3, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/chiffonier.
Source: chiffonier on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.