cham‧ois /ˈʃæmwɑː $ ˈʃæmi/ noun (plural chamois)
[Date: 1500-1600; Language: French; Origin: Late Latin camox]

1. [countable] a wild animal like a small goat that lives in the mountains of Europe and southwest Asia

2. (also ˈchamois ˌleather /ˈʃæmi leðər $ -ər/) [uncountable and countable] soft leather prepared from the skin of chamois, sheep, or goats and used for cleaning or polishing, or a piece of this leather ⇒ shammy

[TahlilGaran] Dictionary of Contemporary English ▲