chamois /ˈʃæmwɑː/noun 5adjective 1verb 1forms 4 noun5 •A short-horned goat antelope native to mountainous terrain in southern Europe; Rupicapra rupicapra. •An absorbent cloth used for cleaning and polishing, formerly made of chamois leather.I took them, breathed on them, polished them with a chamois and hung them on the chandelier. — 1926 •Ellipsis of chamois leather (“soft pliable leather originally made from the skin of chamois (nowadays the hides of deer, sheep, and other species of goat are alternatively used)”). •The traditional colour of chamois leather. •A padded insert which protects the groin from the bicycle saddle. adjective1 •Chamois-colored. verb1 •To clean with a chamois leather cloth. formschamoised · chamoising · chamoises · chamoix