chamois: [16] The word chamois (the name of a species of Alpine antelope) probably goes back to a language spoken in the Alps before the Romans penetrated northwards. They adopted it as late Latin camox, and in the local Romansch language it is kamuotsch, but the source of the English word is the related French chamois. Its use in the sense ‘soft wash-leather’, as originally made from the skin of the chamois, dates from the 16th century, although the spelling shammy is not recorded before the 17th century.
1550s, "Alpine antelope;" 1570s, "soft leather," originally "skin of the chamois," from Middle French chamois "Alpine antelope" (14c.), from Late Latin camox (genitive camocis), perhaps from a pre-Latin Alpine language that also produced Italian camoscio, Spanish camuza, Old High German gamiza, German Gemse (though some of these might be from Latin camox). As a verb, "to polish with chamois," from 1934.
