calico

• callico (archaic)

From Calicut, in India, from where the cloth was originally exported, from Malayalam കോഴിക്കോട് (kōḻikkōṭŭ, “Kozhikode”), from കോഴി (kōḻi, “palace”) + കോട് (kōṭŭ, “fortified palace”), with ‘y’ replaced by interchangeable ‘zh’.

• IPA^(key): /ˈkælɪkəʊ/

calico (countable and uncountable, plural calicos or calicoes)

1. (textiles) A kind of rough cloth made from unbleached and not fully processed cotton, often printed with a bright pattern.
   • 1832, Michael Faraday, “Experimental Researches in Electricity”, in Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society of London, volume 122, →DOI, →JSTOR, page 126:

     This helix was covered with calico, and then a second wire applied in the same manner.

2. (countable, zoology) Ellipsis of calico cat.
   • 2022, N. K. Jemisin, The World We Make, Orbit, page 111:

     One of them, a calico whose half-grown kittens he just fed, slow-blinks at him, an affectionate gesture.

3. (uncountable) The plant disease caused by Tobacco mosaic virus.

calico

1. Made of calico or resembling the color of calico cloth, having a pattern of red and contrasting areas; variegated.

   Synonym: tortoiseshell

   The calico cat had distinctive red and dark markings.

   The calico-patterned tablecloths were supposed to make the restaurant look rustic; instead, they made it look run down.

   • 1976, Bob Dylan (lyrics and music), “Sara”, in Desire:

     Sara, oh Sara / Scorpio Sphinx in a calico dress

• calico (textile) on Wikipedia.Wikipedia
• calico cat on Wikipedia.Wikipedia

• accoil, acocil, calcio-

From English calico or French calicot.

calico n (uncountable)

1. calico