étoffe

fabric, material, cloth

noun eh-TOFF Rare

Also means

substance, caliber (figurative)

Usage Note

Étoffe refers to woven fabric or cloth, but its figurative use is equally common: avoir l'étoffe d'un leader means 'to have the makings of a leader'. The verb étoffer means 'to fill out' or 'to flesh out' a text or plan. The plural étoffes typically refers to fabrics or textiles as a category.

Examples

"Cette étoffe est douce et légère."

Natural Translation

This fabric is soft and light.

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