Terrycloth is a soft, absorbent fabric covered with thousands of tiny loops that stick up from the surface. Run your hand across a bath towel and you'll feel those loops: that's terrycloth. The loops work like tiny sponges, soaking up water quickly and holding onto it.

Most bath towels, beach towels, and washcloths are made from terrycloth because it dries you off so efficiently. After a shower, each loop pulls moisture away from your skin. The more loops per square inch, the fluffier and more absorbent the towel becomes.

The fabric is usually made from cotton, though sometimes manufacturers blend in other materials. Terrycloth also shows up in bathrobes, baby bibs, and even some casual clothing.

You might also see it written as terry cloth (two words) or simply terry. When people talk about Turkish terry or Egyptian terry, they're describing terrycloth made from particularly high-quality cotton grown in those places.