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/ˌlɛðəˈɹɛt/ · noun
(also attributive) A type of fabric, often plastic, made to imitate the appearance of leather..
Many attempts have been made to supply a material to take the place of leather on cheap books, but hitherto nothing has been quite successful. [...] Such a material has apparently appeared in the form of "Leatherette," which is a kind of felted paper, very tough, the same colour throughout, and which may be grained to imitate leather; indeed, the imitation is so close, both in appearance and in feel, that only a practised eye can perceive that it is not leather.
Material.—A rather stiff quality of jute board or tar board, similar to that used by bookbinders. Straw board is not serviceable, being too brittle. Also leatherette for covering and some figured paper for lining. Also some muslin or sateen for hinges. This should match the leatherette as nearly as possible in color. (Leatherette is an imitation leather, very durable, obtained at a paper house.)
The present bound book will be changed to a loose-leaf one, by shearing off the back and punching the leaves to fit an up-to-date cover. We have obtained a neat, classy, leatherette cover for this purpose, using imitation leather because it is neater than cloth, and cheaper and more durable than real leather.
[T]he pink throats of gramophones opened their giant convolutions in a soundless chorus; or bicycles shining in neat ranks seemed to await the signal of an invisible starter; or tiers of fancy-goods in leatherette and paste and celluloid dangled their insidious graces; [...]
[H]e proceeded to a very hard seat in Block J. and, having forced his way into it, was immediately ordered to force his way out again for the purpose of hiring two small leatherette pads from the Kumfy Kushion Company—who, however, had only one small leatherette pad left, so that Chunks Rivers found himself in considerable torment long before the downfall of England began.
Beside the wallet and its contents there were three gaily colored silk handkerchiefs fragrant of chypre; a platinum Longines watch on a platinum and red gold chain, attached at the other end to a small pear-shaped pendant of some white metal; a handful of United States, British, French, and Chinese coins; a ring holding half a dozen keys; a silver and onyx fountain-pen; a metal comb in a leatherette case; a nail-file in a leatherette case; [...]
Quick let's make love, / Before we die. / On Warm Leatherette, / Join the carcrash set.
Fishnet leatherette / Pussy Galore / Pseudo Sumo wrestler / On the door
Use leatherette when its meaning, tone and grammar fit the full sentence. A synonym is not always a direct replacement.
Leatherette means (also attributive) A type of fabric, often plastic, made to imitate the appearance of leather..
Common synonyms include imitation leather.
The opposite depends on the specific sense.
Many attempts have been made to supply a material to take the place of leather on cheap books, but hitherto nothing has been quite successful. [...] Such a material has apparently appeared in the form of "Leatherette," which is a kind of felted paper, very tough, the same colour throughout, and which may be grained to imitate leather; indeed, the imitation is so close, both in appearance and in feel, that only a practised eye can perceive that it is not leather.
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