The Meaning Of 'Marocain,' The Word That Won The 2017 Spelling Bee

On Thursday night, 12-year-old Ananya Vinay won the Scripps National Spelling Bee after correctly spelling the word “marocain.” But what exactly does that word mean?

Marocain, derived from the French word for Moroccan , is a ribbed crepe dress fabric . Its warp threads, which give a fabric its strength, are made of silk, wool or rayon (or a combination of those). The fabric is often used to make dresses and women’s suits and is quite recognizable because of its ribbed look, according to dictionary.com.

If you need help figuring out how to pronounce marocain, this video will help:

Below are photos of dresses made from marocain:

Bettmann via Getty Images

This frock is among the creations (Schiaparelli) chosen by Mrs. Wallis Simpson, to be worn after her 1937 marriage to the Duke of Windsor. Mrs. Simpson's flair for sport clothes is demonstrated in the above. It is a crepe marocain, boldly printed in blue, black and white.

ullstein bild via Getty Images

This model is wearing a dress made from chartreuse crepe marocain with brown Crpe De Chineand golden buttons.

Bettmann via Getty Images

Evening dress made of marocain crepe embroidered with gray.

ullstein bild via Getty Images

Woman wearing a black marocain dress with a white Romain crepe blouse - undated, though thought to be around 1928.

General Photographic Agency via Getty Images

A Poiret model wearing a dress of black marocain with a severe neckline and flounced hobble skirt.

Now you know!

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