Emily Dickinson Lexicon

FELT, n. [Sax. felt; G. filz; D. vilt; Fr. feutre, for feultre; Arm. feltr, or feultr; It. feltro. This may be derived naturally from the root of fill or full, to stuff and make thick, or from the root of L. pellis, Eng. fell, a skin, from plucking or stripping, L. vello, vellus, Eng. wool. In Ir. folt, W. gwallt, is hair.]

1. A cloth or stuff made of wool, or wool and hair, fulled or wrought into a compact substance by rolling and pressure with lees or size. Encyc.
2. A hat made of wool.
3. Skin. To know whether sheep are sound or not, see that the felt be loose. Mortimer.