antimacassar, protective covering thrown over the back of a chair or the head or cushions of a sofa, named after Macassar, a hair-oil in general use in the 19th century. The original antimacassars were made of stiff white crochet-work, but later soft, coloured materials, such as embroidered wools or silks, were used. In the 20th century the use of antimacassars largely died out.