n.
Pronunciation: ˌ pän- ' j ē , ' pän- ˌ
Function: noun
Usage: often attrib
Etymology: Chinese (Beijing) b ě nj ī , from b ě n own + j ī loom
Date: 1711
: a thin soft fabric of Chinese origin woven from raw silk also : an imitation of this fabric in cotton or a synthetic fiber (as of polyester or rayon)