Moleskin is a tough cotton cloth with a soft brushed surface. Moleskin trousers, a moleskin jacket, cut from moleskin.
It has nothing to do with moles beyond the feel, and it was working clothing for a century because it is windproof and lasts. In first aid, moleskin is also an adhesive padding used on blisters.
1nounmoleskinA tough cotton cloth with a soft brushed surface.
“He wore a pair of brown moleskin trousers that were soft but hard-wearing.”
moleskin is a cloth.
Mole plus skin, from the softness of the brushed surface.
From mole + skin.
Etymology from Wiktionary, CC BY-SA