Cashmere vs Kashmir

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Grammarist

Cashmere and Kashmir are two terms that are intricately related but mean two different things today. They may be pronounced in the same fashion but are spelled differently, and they are homophones. We will examine the difference between cashmere and Kashmir, where these terms came from and some examples of their use in sentences.

Cashmere refers to a type of wool that is very fine and soft. Cashmere wool comes from the cashmere goat, which is a certain type of goat found in the Kashmir region of India and Pakistan. The wool is taken from the neck of cashmere goats, and is three times more insular than sheep’s wool. The word cashmere is the seventeenth-century spelling of the place name Kashmir.

Kashmir is an area that is on the northern border of India and the Northeast border of Pakistan. Hotly disputed since the 1947 partition of India and Pakistan, Kashmir is now divided between India and Pakistan. Both the words cashmere and Kashmir stem from the same origin, though the term Kashmir is closer to its original Sanskrit rendering. Note that Kashmir is capitalized, as it is a proper name.

Examples

In his tailored suit, sprightly bow tie, and V-necked cashmere sweater, the portly Dior, just 52 when he died, comes across as a bon vivant with a penchant for classic beauty. (Vogue Magazine)

The model, 21, was spotted arriving at her New York City apartment on Wednesday following a photo shoot and brought high-fashion to the casual streets when she wore an ab-baring cashmere sweatshirt combo. (People Magazine)

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Union minister and senior BJP leader M Venkaiah Naidu today alleged that the Jammu and Kashmir issue was a “creation” of the Congress and accused the party of making the issue “political” now. (The Economic Times)

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