Forms: α. 4 tapheta, 4–6 tafeta, 4–8 taffata, 5–6 tafata, 5–7 taffatas, 6–7 taffita, (6 -yta), 6– taffeta, -as. β. 5–8 taffaty, 6 tafete, -ie, 6 Sc. taffate, -ati, -atis, -eti, -etti, -ete, -etee, tapheit, -ite, -ettye, taftais, -teis, teffites, 6–7 taffatie, -etie, -itie, 6–8 -ity, 6– taffety. [a. OF. taffetas, taphetas (1317 in Hatz.-D.) or med.L. taffata, etc. (Du Cange) = It. taffetà, Pg. tafeta, Sp. tafetan; ultimately a. Pers. tāftah, (a) silken cloth, (b) linen clothing, subst. use of tāftah, pa. pple. of tāftan ‘to shine,’ also ‘to twist, to spin.’] A name applied at different times to different fabrics. In early times apparently a plain-wove glossy silk (of any color); in more recent times, a light thin silk or union stuff of decided brightness or luster. In the 16th c. mention is also made of ‘linen taffety.’ In recent times the name has been misapplied to various mixtures of silk and wool, and even cotton and jute, thin fine woollen material, etc.
α. 1373. in Exch. Rolls Scotl., II. 440. In empcione vnius pecie de taffata.
c. 1386. Chaucer, Prol., 440. A Doctour of Phisik … In sangwyn and in pers he clad was al Lyned with Taffata [Lansd. MS. tafeta] and with Sendal.
c. 1425. Cast. Persev., 239, in Macro Plays, 84. With tapytys of tafata I tymbyr my towris.
1530. Palsgr., 279/1. Tafata a maner of sylke, taffetas.
1561. Burgh Rec. Edinb. (1875), III. 122. Sum brawf abulyement of taffate or vther silk.
1604. Lismore Papers, Ser. II. (1887), I. 106. One ell iij qutrs of taffita to line ye same Dublett and faice it.
1634. Sir T. Herbert, Trav., 182. Taffataes of transparant finenesse.
1650. Fuller, Pisgah, IV. vi. 129. Riddling oracles … like changeable taffata (wherein the woofe and warpe are of different colours), seems of several hues, as the looker on takes his station.
1773. Brydone, Sicily, viii. 83. We are melting with heat, in thin suits of taffeta.
1836–41. Brande, Chem. (ed. 5), 156. Trials were made with raw silk, ravelings of white taffeta, and of common sewing silk.
1884. Girl’s Own Paper, Aug., 682/1. I must mention the return of the ancient challis, which is now called a woollen taffetas.
1903. Times, 12 Feb., 5/3. In silks … it is noted that taffetas are becoming less asked for.
1908. Lett. to Editor. Chiffon-taffeta, a bright, lustrous, softly finished thin glacé silk, now much worn for ladies’ blouses or dresses.
β. 1515. Acc. Ld. High Treas. Scot., V. 9. Twa elne of goldin hewit taffity, to be thame quaiffs. Ibid. (1541), VIII. 42. v elnis blak teffites of Janis.
1539. Aberdeen Regr. (1844), I. 161. Ane blak bonat, with ane typpat of taphite.
1550. Lyndesay, Sqr. Meldrum, 125. Of yallow taftais wes hir sark.
1573. Inv. Roy. Wardrobe (1815), 189 (Jam.). Freinzeit with gold and lynit with reid tafteis.
1583. Stubbes, Anat. Abus., II. (1882), 108. They must weare silkes … grograms, taffeties, and the like.
1630. Capt. Smith, Trav. & Adv., xvi. 31. A white mares taile with a peece of greene taffity, on a great Pike, is carried before him [the Chan] for a standard.
1766. Chron. in Ann. Reg., 103/2. An additional duty on the importation of silks, crapes, and taffaties.
1865. E. C. Clayton, Cruel Fort., I. 248. Dressed in the costume of 1827 or 1828—a gown of taffety with gigot sleeves, and a muslin canezon spencer.
b. fig. Florid language; = FUSTIAN 2.
1821. Byron, Jrnl., 12 Jan., in Moore, Life, III. 102. There is a good deal of taffeta in some of Tom’s prefatory phrases.
B. attrib. and as adj.
1. Of taffeta; of the nature of taffeta.
1552–3. Inv. Ch. Goods Staffs., in Ann. Lichfield (1863), IV. 38. Itm. ij vestements, on of blewe chamblet, thother of taffeta silke.
1561. Burgh Rec. Edinb. (1882), IV. 122. Doubletis of saterne,… tafetie hatis.
a. 1586. Sidney, Arcadia, I. (1622), 51. Her bodie … couered with a light Taffata garment.
1602. Dekker, Satirom., Wks. 1873, I. 260. Horace did not weare the Badge of gentlemens company, as thou doost thy Taffetie sleeves.
c. 1645. Howell, Lett. (1688), II. 316. Full of Taffity Silks and Sattins.
1725. Bradley’s Fam. Dict., s.v. Ointment, Searce it thro’ a Taffety Sieve.
1849. Jas. Grant, Kirkaldy of Gr., xxvii. Captain Lambie, he of the taffety standard celebrity.
1883. Glasgow Herald, 21 April, 8/3. Taffeta Silk Gloves.
1903. Daily Chron., 26 Sept., 8/6. Evening gowns … made of soft light-blue taffetas silk.
2. fig. Florid, bombastic; over-dressed; dainty, delicate, fastidious: taffety cream, ? velvet cream.
1588. Shaks., L. L. L., V. ii. 406. Taffata phrases, silken tearmes precise.
1621. Middleton, Span. Gipsy, IV. iii. Can taffeta girls look plump without pampering?
1653. Urquhart, Rabelais, I. v. O the fine white wine,… it is a kind of taffatas wine.
1719. D’Urfey, Pills, VI. 124. With Taffity-Tarts and Pies.
1773. Goldsm., Stoops to Conq., II. i. A shaking pudding, and a dish of tiff—taff—taffety cream.
1840. Miss Yonge (Heard in Hampshire). The old sow won’t eat that stuff, she’s so very taffety.
3. Comb., as taffeta-bordered, -covered adjs.
1889. Doyle, Micah Clarke, 115. Dame Hobson’s best taffata covered settee.
1908. Westm. Gaz., 8 Feb., 13/2. A crown of taffeta with a taffeta-bordered brim of crinoline straw and other such blendings of straw and fabric.
