silesia

[si-lee-zhuh, -shuh, sahy-] /sɪˈli ʒə, -ʃə, saɪ-/
noun
1.
a lightweight, smoothly finished, twilled fabric of acetate, rayon, or cotton, for garment linings.
Origin
1665-70; named after Silesia

Silesia

[si-lee-zhuh, -shuh, sahy-] /sɪˈli ʒə, -ʃə, saɪ-/
noun
1.
a region in central Europe along both banks of the upper Oder River, mainly in SW Poland and the N Czech Republic: formerly divided between Germany (which had the largest portion), Poland, and Czechoslovakia; by provision of the Potsdam agreement 1945, the greater part of German Silesia came under Polish administration; rich deposits of coal, iron, and other minerals.
German Schlesien.
Polish Śląsk.
Czech Slezsko.
Related forms
Silesian, adjective, noun
Examples from the web for silesia
  • Frederick had hoped by the truce to secure silesia, for which alone he was fighting.
  • Flora the flora of lower silesia is specific and different for each zone.
  • The flora of lower silesia is strongly influenced by geological and climatic history.
British Dictionary definitions for silesia

silesia

/saɪˈliːʃɪə/
noun
1.
a twill-weave fabric of cotton or other fibre, used esp for pockets, linings, etc
Word Origin
C17: Latinized form of German SchlesienSilesia

Silesia

/saɪˈliːʃɪə/
noun
1.
a region of central Europe around the upper and middle Oder valley: mostly annexed by Prussia in 1742 but became almost wholly Polish in 1945; rich coal and iron-ore deposits Polish name Śląsk Czech name Slezsko German name Schlesien
Word Origin and History for silesia

Silesia

former eastern German province, now southwestern Poland, from Latinized form of German Schliesen (Polish Slask), from the name of a river and a mountain there, from Silingi or Silingae, name of a Vandalic (Germanic) people who supposedly had a religious center at the mountain. Related: Silesian. In reference to cloth imported from there from 1670s, especially "a thin cotton cloth, commonly twilled, used for linings for women's dresses and men's garments."