Definitions

from The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, 5th Edition.

  • noun A heavy silk fabric, often interwoven with gold or silver, worn in the Middle Ages.

from The Century Dictionary.

  • noun Originally, a heavy silk material each thread of which was supposed to be twisted of six fibers; later, rich heavy silk material of any kind, especially that which had a satin-like gloss.

from the GNU version of the Collaborative International Dictionary of English.

  • adjective A species of silk stuff, or taffeta, generally interwoven with gold.

from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License.

  • noun A material of rich silk, sometimes with gold threads, especially prized during the Middle Ages.

from WordNet 3.0 Copyright 2006 by Princeton University. All rights reserved.

  • noun a heavy silk fabric (often woven with silver or gold threads); used to make clothing in the Middle Ages

Etymologies

from The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, 4th Edition

[Middle English samit, from Old French, from Medieval Latin examitum, from Medieval Greek hexamiton, from Greek, neuter of hexamitos, of six threads : hexa-, hexa- + mitos, warp thread.]

from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License

From Old French samit, from Medieval Latin samitum, examitum, from Byzantine Greek ἑξάμιτον (hexámiton), from ἕξ ("six") + μίτος ("thread").

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Examples

  • The stuffs then known were velvet, satin (called samite), and taffeta, -- all of which were stitched with gold or silver thread.

    The Atlantic Monthly, Volume 18, No. 107, September, 1866 Various

  • Here comes one of them, in a long green robe of shining silky stuff, which is called samite; round his neck is a curiously cut collar of dark red cloth, and in his hand he carries a white hood.

    Our Little Lady Six Hundred Years Ago Emily Sarah Holt 1864

  • Then came the gown; it looked for all the world precisely like one out of a medieval Book of Hours, and it was made of a heavy white silk that she suspected was the literary "samite" that the Lady of the Lake was clothed in.

    red dust Ryn Cricket 2010

  • The varieties of silk stuffs known at this time were velvet, satin (which was called samite), and taffety (called cendal or sendall), all of which were occasionally stitched with gold and silver.] and satin.

    The Age of Fable Thomas Bulfinch 1831

  • The varieties of silk stuffs known at this time were velvet, satin (which was called samite), and taffety (called cendal or sendall), all of which were occasionally stitched with gold and silver.] and satin.

    The Age of Chivalry Thomas Bulfinch 1831

  • Sag mir wo die Blumen sind sambies or sambos or sangers (sandwiches) samite (cloth)

    Theodor Storm 2009

  • Sag mir wo die Blumen sind sambies or sambos or sangers (sandwiches) samite (cloth)

    An Evening at Maxine's 2009

  • Sag mir wo die Blumen sind sambies or sambos or sangers (sandwiches) samite (cloth)

    Nicko 2009

  • Courtiers in samite and silk lined the carpet, turning to see this rough-and-tumble gladiator in their midst.

    GuildWars Edge of Destiny J. Robert King 2011

  • Sag mir wo die Blumen sind sambies or sambos or sangers (sandwiches) samite (cloth)

    The Earth Goddess 2009

Comments

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  • "Then there entered into the hall the Holy Greal covered with white samite, but there was none might see it, nor who bare it."

    - Thomas Malory, 'The Holy Grail'.

    September 8, 2009

  • This makes me think of a marmite sammie!

    September 8, 2009

  • "There had apparently been vestments as well as wine in the envoy's luggage. The bishop's envoy wore a black velvet chasuble over his dazzlingly white vestments, and the monk was resplendent in yards of samite and gilt embroidery."

    Doomsday Book by Connie Willis, p 283

    May 29, 2010