che·nille (sh?-n?l?)n.1. A soft tufted cord traditionally of silk, cotton, or worsted used in embroidery or for fringing.2. Fabric made of or resembling this cord, commonly used for bedspreads or rugs.[French chenille, caterpillar, chenille, from Latin can?cula, diminutive of canis, dog; see kwon- in Indo-European roots.]American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition. Copyright © 2016 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.chenille (???ni?l) n1. (Textiles) a thick soft tufty silk or worsted velvet cord or yarn used in embroidery and for trimmings, etc2. (Textiles) a fabric of such yarn3. (Furniture) a rich and hard-wearing carpet of such fabric[C18: from French, literally: hairy caterpillar, from Latin canicula, diminutive of canis dog]Collins English Dictionary ? Complete and Unabridged, 12th Edition 2014 © HarperCollins Publishers 1991, 1994, 1998, 2000, 2003, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2011, 2014che?nille (???nil) n. 1. a yarn with a high velvety pile. 2. a fabric made with such yarn, used in bedspreads, bathrobes, etc. [1730?40;