axminster
|ax-min-ster|
🇺🇸
/ˈæksmɪnstər/
🇬🇧
/ˈæksmɪnstə/
carpet named after the town of Axminster
Etymology
'axminster' originates from an English place-name, specifically the elements 'Axe' (the river name) and 'minster' (from Old English 'mynster' ultimately from Latin 'monasterium'), where 'Axe' referred to the river (likely from Celtic 'iska' meaning 'water') and 'minster' meant 'church' or 'monastery'.
'Axminster' originally named the town on the River Axe; in the mid-18th century the name was applied to the high-quality woven carpets produced there (notably by Thomas Whitty around 1755), and over time 'axminster' became the common term for that style of carpet.
Initially it meant the town on the River Axe, but over time it also came to mean the specific style of woven carpet produced there and now commonly denotes that type of carpet.
Meanings by Part of Speech
Noun 1
a heavy, patterned woven carpet or rug originally produced in the town of Axminster, characterized by a cut pile and intricate designs.
The hotel lobby was fitted with an axminster carpet that featured floral motifs.
Synonyms
Noun 2
a town in Devon, England, on the River Axe; the place after which the carpet style is named.
Axminster is known historically for its carpet industry.
Last updated: 2025/12/06 07:40