1. Plural of nankin; a durable cotton fabric, typically buff or yellowish in color, originally made in Nanjing, China.
Usage: Often used in historical or textile contexts; Can refer to the fabric itself or garments made from it
2. Plural of nankin; trousers or breeches made from nankin fabric.
Usage: Historical usage, particularly 18th–19th centuries

Examples

• The museum displayed several pairs of nankins from the Victorian era.
• Colonial traders imported bolts of nankins from China to Europe.
• He wore nankins and a linen shirt to the summer gathering.
• The durability of nankins made them popular for work clothes.
• Fine nankins were considered a luxury fabric in the 19th century.