Cotton vs. Terrycloth — What's the Difference?

Cotton is a soft, fluffy staple fiber that grows in a boll, or protective case, around the seeds of the cotton plants of the genus Gossypium in the mallow family Malvaceae. The fiber is almost pure cellulose.

Terrycloth, terry cloth, terry cotton, terry towelling, terry, terry towel or simply towelling is a fabric woven with many protruding loops of thread which can absorb large amounts of water. It can be manufactured by weaving or knitting.

Any of various shrubby plants of the genus Gossypium, having showy flowers and grown for the soft white downy fibers surrounding oil-rich seeds.

A pile fabric (usually cotton) with uncut loops on both sides; used to make bath towels and bath robes

The fiber of any of these plants, used in making textiles and other products.

Thread or cloth manufactured from the fiber of these plants.

Any of various soft downy substances produced by other plants, as on the seeds of a cottonwood.

To take a liking; attempt to be friendly

To come to understand. Often used with to or onto

Gossypium, a genus of plant used as a source of cotton fiber.

Any plant that encases its seed in a thin fiber that is harvested and used as a fabric or cloth.

Any fiber similar in appearance and use to Gossypium fiber.

(textiles) The textile made from the fiber harvested from a cotton plant, especially Gossypium.

(countable) An item of clothing made from cotton.

Made of cotton.

(transitive) To provide with cotton.

To supply with a cotton wick.

To fill with a wad of cotton.

(horticulture) To wrap with a protective layer of cotton fabric.

To cover walls with fabric.

(tar and cotton) To cover with cotton bolls over a layer of tar (analogous to tar and feather )

To make or become cotton-like

To raise a nap, providing with a soft, cottony texture.

To develop a porous, cottony texture.

To give the appearance of being dotted with cotton balls.

To enshroud with a layer of whiteness.

To protect from harsh stimuli, coddle, or muffle.

To rub or burnish with cotton.

To get on with someone or something; to have a good relationship with someone.

A soft, downy substance, resembling fine wool, consisting of the unicellular twisted hairs which grow on the seeds of the cotton plant. Long-staple cotton has a fiber sometimes almost two inches long; short-staple, from two thirds of an inch to an inch and a half.

The cotton plant. See Cotten plant, below.

Cloth made of cotton.

To rise with a regular nap, as cloth does.

To go on prosperously; to succeed.

To unite; to agree; to make friends; - usually followed by with.

To take a liking to; to stick to one as cotton; - used with to.

Silky fibers from cotton plants in their raw state

Fabric woven from cotton fibers

Erect bushy mallow plant or small tree bearing bolls containing seeds with many long hairy fibers

Thread made of cotton fibers

Take a liking to;