marocain

ma·roc·ain
M3A1R1O1C3A1I1N1
UK/ˌmæɹəˈkeɪn/US/ˌmɑɹəˈkeɪn/

noun

A heavy crepe fabric of silk, wool, or both, having a cross-ribbed texture, used for apparel.

Similar
crepe marocain
RareFirst used early 20th c.Scrabble 12

Meanings

marocain1

nounmarocain (countable and uncountable, plural marocains)

plural marocains

  1. countableuncountableA heavy crepe fabric of silk, wool, or both, having a cross-ribbed texture, used for apparel.First known use early 20th c.

    Silk crepe yarns have been very widely used in the past for well-known fabrics such as crepe-de-chine, marocain and georgette.

    2015, J. Hayavadana, “Crepe Surface and Crepe Weaves (Oatmeal)”, in Woven Fabric Structure Design and Product Planning (Woodhead Publishing India in Textiles), New Delhi: Woodhead Publishing India, →ISBN, page 124
    5 more examples

    For summer tailored costumes it will be unequalled. "Toile Marocain," is a quite new fabric neither silk nor wool, but a special mixture of silk and goat's wool, that resembles the coarse stuff the native Arabs use in making their great burnouse—a hooded cape—and it comes in plain colors, particularly elephant gray, adapted to tailored costumes; and it is produced in chinè weaves with a Toile de Jouy effect, for little jackets and waistcoats.

    [1917 February, Margaret Alice Friend, “Paris Fashion Service”, in W. B. Walker, editor, Silk: An Illustrated Magazine Published Monthly in the Interests of the Producer and the Buyer, volume X, number 2, New York, N.Y.: Silk Publishing Company, →OCLC, page 59

    Rodier's favored wool fabric this spring is Crêpella, a wool crêpe marocain. It is evident that crêpe gained such favor during the past season that Rodier now applies the same process to woolens.

    1922, Good Housekeeping, volume 74, New York, N.Y.: Hearst Magazines, →OCLC, page 35

    Bianchini Ferier are also showing a great variety of crêpes, Marocains of the heaviest and best qualities that sell for 85 francs a yard, and brocaded marocains that are more crêpe Romain, […]

    1922 September, Daphne Carr, “Style Movements in Paris Silks”, in C. B. Clifford, editor, The American Silk Journal, volume XLI, number 9, New York, N.Y.: Clifford & Lawton, →OCLC, page 48, column 2

    There is now a very wide range in woven fabrics of cotton and artificial silk, which may contain percentages of artificial silk ranging from 5–60%. Thus we have cotton coatings, Bedford cords, cambric shirtings, lingerie fabrics, cotton marocains, poplins, […]

    1928, E[dward] Wheeler, “The Uses of Artificial Silk”, in E. Howard Tripp, editor, The Manufacture of Artificial Silk: With Special Reference to the Viscose Process (Monographs on Applied Chemistry; 1), New York, N.Y.: D[avid] Van Nostrand Company, →OCLC, page 114

    France is by far the largest supplier of silk piece goods to Argentina. […] The types of cloth wanted are principally flat crepe, marocain, georgettes, lingerie silk, crepe de Chine, and satin.

    1932, Thomas C. Ballagh, “Market for Specific Textiles”, in Textile Market of Argentina (United States Department of Commerce, Bureau of Foreign and Domestic Commerce, Trade Promotion Series; no. 132), Washington, D.C.: United States Government Printing Office, page 89

Marocain2

proper noun
  1. agricultureA variety of grape.

    Gros Maroc. Marocain. An excellent variety, ripening after Black Hamburgh. A great bearer, well suited to a cold vinery.

    1872, A[ndrew] J[ackson] Downing, Charles Downing, “The Grape”, in The Fruits and Fruit-trees of America; […] , 2nd revised and corrected edition, part II (Cherries, Grapes, Peaches, Pears, &c.), New York, N.Y.: John Wiley & Son, […], →OCLC, page 519
    1 more example

    Gros Maroc (Marocain).—Bunches large, long, and shouldered, and with a long stalk. Berries large and oval. Skin thick, of a deep reddish-purple, and covered with an abundant blue bloom. Flesh tender, sweet, and richly flavoured.

    1860, Robert Hogg, “Grapes”, in The Fruit Manual; Containing the Descriptions & Synonymes of the Fruits and Fruit Trees Commonly Met with in the Gardens & Orchards of Great Britain, with Selected Lists of Those Most Worthy of Cultivation, London: Cottage Gardener Office, […], →OCLC, page 105
  2. A name used for two unrelated varieties of French wine grape, carignan and cinsault.

Synonyms & antonyms

nouna dress crepe; similar to Canton crepe

Similar
crepe marocain
Broader

Synonym sets from Open English WordNet, CC BY 4.0.

Origin

marocain · noun

  1. Medieval LatinMarrochium“the city of Marrakech, the former capital of Morocco”
  2. Frenchmarocain“Moroccan”
  3. Englishmarocain

Borrowed from French marocain (“Moroccan”), from Maroc (“Morocco”) (from Medieval Latin Marrochium (“the city of Marrakech, the former capital of Morocco”)) + -ain (suffix forming demonyms).

Full word history & related roots →

Marocain · proper noun

  1. Medieval LatinMarrochium“the city of Marrakech, the former capital of Morocco”
  2. FrenchMarocain“Moroccan”
  3. EnglishMarocain

Borrowed from French Marocain (“Moroccan”), from Maroc (“Morocco”) (from Medieval Latin Marrochium (“the city of Marrakech, the former capital of Morocco”)) + -ain (suffix forming demonyms).

Full word history & related roots →

Translations

Hungarian maroken
  • marokenheavy crepe fabric

Rhymes & wordplay

Rhymes with marocain

All rhymes →

Anagrams

Cite this entry
APA

marocain. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 3, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/marocain

MLA

“marocain.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/marocain. Accessed November 3, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “marocain,” accessed November 3, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/marocain.

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