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gauze

(gôz)

a. A thin, transparent fabric with a loose open weave, used for curtains and clothing.

b. A thin, loosely woven surgical dressing, usually made of cotton.

c. A thin plastic or metal woven mesh.

2. A mist or haze.

[French gaze, ultimately (perhaps via Spanish gasa) from Arabic qazz, raw silk, of Middle Persian origin; akin to Persian kaž, bent, crooked, low-quality silk.]

Indo-European & Semitic Roots Appendices

Thousands of entries in the dictionary include etymologies that trace their origins back to reconstructed proto-languages. You can obtain more information about these forms in our online appendices:

Indo-European Roots

Semitic Roots

The Indo-European appendix covers nearly half of the Indo-European roots that have left their mark on English words. A more complete treatment of Indo-European roots and the English words derived from them is available in our Dictionary of Indo-European Roots.

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