[Elamur Dictionary](https://md.dictionary.elamur.ai/free/en/) · [this page in HTML](https://dictionary.elamur.ai/free/en/english/antimacassar/)

[dictionaries](https://md.dictionary.elamur.ai/free/en/) / [English](https://md.dictionary.elamur.ai/free/en/english/) / [A](https://md.dictionary.elamur.ai/free/en/english/a/) / antimacassar

# antimacassar

noun (an antimacassar, antimacassars)

«antimacassar» in the English dictionary: everyday — its meanings, how the lessons use it, and examples, each with its tree on Mova.

## Everyday

An antimacassar is a small cloth, often lacy, put over the back or arms of a chair or sofa to keep it clean. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/A/antimacassar/#m1)

### In the lessons

In Victorian and Edwardian times men put Macassar oil on their hair, which stained chairs; the cloth was «anti» (against) the Macassar oil. In history lessons about Victorian homes and in old books, the word shows an old-fashioned, tidy parlour. Trains and planes still sometimes have them on headrests.

### Examples

- Grandma's armchair had a lace antimacassar. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/A/antimacassar/#x1)
- Antimacassars kept hair oil off the chairs. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/A/antimacassar/#x2)
- The Victorian parlour was full of antimacassars and ornaments. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/A/antimacassar/#x3)
- The train seats had white antimacassars. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/A/antimacassar/#x4)
- She crocheted an antimacassar for the sofa. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/A/antimacassar/#x5)
- The word comes from Macassar hair oil. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/A/antimacassar/#x6)

### Note

Countable. A long word: an-ti-ma-CASS-ar. Old-fashioned; today people may say «chair back cover».

## On Mova

- [Trees and pragmatics of «antimacassar» in the school dictionary](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/A/antimacassar/): every meaning and example parsed by Mova, with its dependency tree and frames.
- [«antimacassar» in the school dictionary](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/dictionaries/school/w/antimacassar.html) on Mova free.