devoré

noun

A fabric technique particularly used on velvets, where a mixed-fibre material undergoes a chemical process to dissolve the cellulose fibres to create a semi-transparent pattern against more solidly woven fabric.

OriginFrench dévoré →
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Meanings

noundevoré (uncountable)
  1. uncountableA fabric technique particularly used on velvets, where a mixed-fibre material undergoes a chemical process to dissolve the cellulose fibres to create a semi-transparent pattern against more solidly woven fabric.

    Boiling, felting or printing using devoré techniques is employed to alter the handle or appearance of the cloth.

    1995, Textile Outlook International, numbers 57–59, Economist Publications Limited, page 53
    2 more examples

    For instance, she is combining cotton cheesecloth and polyester chiffon to make cloqué jackets or using devoré to distress linen/silk to produce a “shaggy” layer bonded to gauze.

    2002, Katherine Duncan Aimone, The Fiberarts Book of Wearable Art, New York, N.Y.: Lark Books, Sterling Publishing Co., Inc., →ISBN, page 19

    Large areas of the velvet pile have been removed using devoré, leaving most of the fabric as a transparent gauze.

    2020, Sue Westergaard, Screenprinting on Textiles: The Complete Guide, Ramsbury, Wiltshire: The Crowood Press Ltd, →ISBN

Origin

  1. Frenchdévoré
  2. Englishdevoré

From French dévoré, past participle of dévorer (“to devour”).

More words from French

Full word history & related roots →
Cite this entry
APA

devoré. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 3, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/devor%C3%A9

MLA

“devoré.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/devor%C3%A9. Accessed November 3, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “devoré,” accessed November 3, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/devor%C3%A9.

Source: devoré on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.