[syn: chamois, Rupicapra rupicapra]
The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48:
Shammy \Sham"my\, n. [F. chamious a chamois, shammy leather. See
Chamois.]
1. (Zool.) The chamois.
[1913 Webster]
2. A soft, pliant leather, prepared originally from the skin
of the chamois, but now made also from the skin of the
sheep, goat, kid, deer, and calf. See Shamoying.
[Written also chamois, shamoy, and shamois.]
[1913 Webster] Shamois
The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48:
Chamois \Cham"ois\ (sh[a^]m"m[y^] or sh[.a]*moi"; 277), n. [F.
chamois, prob. fr. OG. gamz, G. gemse.]
1. (Zool.) A small species of antelope (Rupicapra tragus),
living on the loftiest mountain ridges of Europe, as the
Alps, Pyrenees, etc. It possesses remarkable agility, and
is a favorite object of chase.
[1913 Webster]
2. A soft leather made from the skin of the chamois, or from
sheepskin, etc.; -- called also chamois leather, and
chammy or shammy leather. See Shammy.
[1913 Webster]
WordNet (r) 3.0 (2006):
chamois
n 1: a soft suede leather formerly from the skin of the chamois
antelope but now from sheepskin [syn: chamois, chamois
leather, chammy, chammy leather, shammy, shammy
leather]
2: hoofed mammal of mountains of Eurasia having upright horns
with backward-hooked tips [syn: chamois, Rupicapra
rupicapra]