A tall, narrow chest of drawers or cabinet, originally used for storing fine fabrics like chiffon, scarves, and delicate garments.
From French 'chiffonnier' (rag collector), derived from 'chiffon' (rag, scrap of fabric) plus '-ier' (one who deals in). The furniture piece was named after its original purpose of storing fabric scraps and fine fabrics.
In France, a 'chiffonnier' was a rag collector who scavenged fabric scraps, but the English borrowed the word to name a piece of fancy furniture for storing good fabrics—it's funny how the same word traveled up the social ladder as it crossed the Channel!
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