An ornamental fold, flourish, or decorative wrinkle, especially in fabric or design.
From 'crink' or 'crinkle' (Middle English) plus the suffix '-um,' which may derive from Latin but in English often creates fanciful or technical terms, particularly in historical or specialized contexts.
The '-um' suffix appears in Latin-derived words like 'pendulum' and 'museum,' but 'crinkum' shows how English borrowed this pattern to create whimsical terms for decorative elements in 17th- and 18th-century fashion and design.
Complete word intelligence in one call. Free tier — 50 lookups/day.