worsted yarn
- noun
- /ˈwɜrstɪd jɑrn/
- Specialized
- I finished the stocking from my stash of Lamb's Pride worsted yarn.
Examples
-
The seamstress prefers using worsted yarn because it creates a strong and smooth fabric.
-
The sweater I knitted is made from soft worsted yarn that keeps me warm.
-
For her next project, she chose a vibrant shade of worsted yarn for the scarf.
Synonyms
A long thread of twisted fibers like wool used for knitting
A tightly twisted wool yarn used for knitting and weaving
How Smooth
Surface Forms
Morphology
This is a straightforward noun–modifier composition: 'worsted' names a specific type/process (long-staple, tightly twisted wool) and 'yarn' is the material; together they mean 'yarn of the worsted type.' The meaning is literal and predictable from the constituents, so a learner who knows both words can infer the MWE.
Etymology
The noun worsted yarn may come from the English village of Worstead, where cloth makers combed long wool so the fibers lay straight and then spun them into a smooth, strong yarn. That's why 'worsted yarn' today means a 'tightly twisted, smooth thread' used for fine weaving and knitting.