Egyptian cotton
- noun
- /ɪˈdʒɪpʃən ˈkɑtən/
- They substituted Egyptian cotton for American.
- Egyptian cotton sheets
- Egyptian cotton towel
- Egyptian cotton shirt
Examples
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We're talking about 1,200-count Egyptian cotton sheets, world-class chefs, seriously seasoned outdoorspeople running the place, and showers (hot, of course) in well-appointed baths.
Blog text (11) -
They are Egyptian cotton 750 thread count sheets, so it was a bit of a financial splurge.
Blog text (17) -
You will dry yourself with Egyptian cotton towels.
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No man can resist Egyptian cotton.
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900-thread count Egyptian cotton.
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Pure unadulterated Egyptian cotton.
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All his socks were Egyptian cotton, their colors fastidiously coordinated with the loud, expensive Italian slip-on shoes he favored.
Fiction book (1992) -
Egyptian cotton linens, walk-in spa showers, and complimentary high-speed wireless internet complete the picture.
Blog text (7) -
I love these beds at the Beverly Wilshire—plush and lovely, with soft Egyptian cotton sheets.
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Certainly, Central Asian cotton can't compete with Egyptian cotton on the international market.
Synonyms
A type of cotton with long fibers that is soft and strong for high-quality clothes and sheets
How Soft
Surface Forms
Morphology
The phrase is compositionally built from the adjective 'Egyptian' (origin) + the noun 'cotton' (fiber), so a learner who knows both words will readily infer it refers to cotton produced in Egypt. Additional associations about quality are encyclopedic world knowledge but not necessary to understand the basic meaning; the origin-based modifier pattern is common cross-linguistically.
Etymology
Egyptian cotton comes from cotton grown along the Nile in Egypt, where warm sun and rich river water help the plants make very long, strong fibers. Those long fibers make cloth extra soft and long-lasting, so Egyptian cotton came to mean 'high-quality' cotton used for luxury sheets and towels.