Two words from very different reaches of the English wordhoard that I’ve recently encountered:

1) In Paul Scott’s Raj Quartet, which my wife and I will be reading at night well into 2027, I hit the word barathea , which meant nothing to me (although I had seen it before, since I’ve read Lucky Jim at least twice). The OED (entry from 1933) says:

A cloth of a fine texture composed of a silk warp and woollen weft, also of cotton and wool and entirely of wool.

1862 Cobourg, paramatta, barathea, reps, cords, cloths.

International Exhibition: Illustrated Catalogue of Industrial Department vol. II. xxi. §3958

1897 Venetian crape..has taken the place of the old baratheas, Balmorals, bombazines, &c.

Daily News 30 October 6/5

1954 His lavender barathea trousers swayed gracefully with his walk.

K. Amis, Lucky Jim: A Novel ix. 98

1963 All ranks will receive a second suit of the No. 2 khaki service dress, of 22 oz.…