Word of the Day: antimacassar

Word of the Day

antimacassar (n) [anti-maCASS-ar]

An embroidered, doily-like cover to protect the back or arms of furniture

"The feathers of the bird of paradise swept her shoulder -- the one that was higher than the other -- and mingled with the wheels of the white antimacassar."
--Susie F. Harrison, Crowded Out

I remember my grandmother's stuffed chairs having antimacassars, though I didn't know what they were called back then. I always thought they were just for decoration, but it seems they served a purpose back when men oiled their hair. Without them, the greasy stuff would stain the furniture when they leaned back against the upholstery -- to light their pipes or whatever.