calico
noun
cal·i·co
ˈka-li-ˌkō 
plural calicoes or calicos
1
a
: cotton cloth imported from India
b
British
: a plain white cotton fabric that is heavier than muslin
c
: any of various cheap cotton fabrics with figured patterns
2
: a blotched or spotted animal
especially
: one that is predominantly white with red and black patches
calico
adjective
Examples of calico in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
Meanwhile, calicos are considered stubborn and selective, while tabbies are known for being loyal.
—
Maria Azzurra Volpe, MSNBC Newsweek, 17 Sep. 2025
Meet Arista, a gorgeous calico girl with playful eyes and a soft demeanor, who was saved from attempting to survive alone on the streets.
—Tj MacIas, Kansas City Star, 8 Aug. 2025
The British already had experience mass-producing cotton calico with prints such as chintz, and Dutch potters in Delft had long mastered the art of copying Chinese blue-and-white ceramics.
—H.m.a. Leow, JSTOR Daily, 6 Aug. 2025
Some of these, such as Lohan’s calico hair, are making a resurgence today.
—Kaleigh Werner, Footwear News, 31 July 2025
See All Example Sentences for calico
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Maria Azzurra Volpe, MSNBC Newsweek, 17 Sep. 2025
Meet Arista, a gorgeous calico girl with playful eyes and a soft demeanor, who was saved from attempting to survive alone on the streets.
—Tj MacIas, Kansas City Star, 8 Aug. 2025
The British already had experience mass-producing cotton calico with prints such as chintz, and Dutch potters in Delft had long mastered the art of copying Chinese blue-and-white ceramics.
—H.m.a. Leow, JSTOR Daily, 6 Aug. 2025
Some of these, such as Lohan’s calico hair, are making a resurgence today.
—Kaleigh Werner, Footwear News, 31 July 2025
See All Example Sentences for calico
Cite this Entry
“Calico.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/calico. Accessed 23 Sep. 2025.
Copy CitationKids Definition
calico
noun
cal·i·co
ˈkal-i-ˌkō
plural calicoes or calicos
1
: cotton cloth especially with a colored pattern printed on one side
2
: a blotched or spotted animal
a calico cat
calico
adjective
Etymology
named for Calicut, a city in India, which exported such cloth
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