leather tanned with sumach and usually dyed a bright colour
Word origin
C16: via Russian and Turkish from Persian sakhtiyān goatskin, from sakht hard
saffian in American English
(ˈsæfiən)
noun
a leather made of goatskin or sheepskin, usually dyed in bright colors
Word origin
[1585–95; ‹ Russ saf'yán ‹ Turkic (cf. Turk sahtiyan) ‹ Pers sekhtiyān, akin to sekht hard, firm]This word is first recorded in the period 1585–95. Other words that entered Englishat around the same time include: competence, corridor, keyhole, naturalize, sine