means A piece of fabric, usually rectangular or triangular, worn loosely over the shoulders or head for warmth or decoration.

from From Persian 'shāl,' a word for a fine woven wrap, which travelled into Urdu and Hindi and then into English through trade with India — arriving in the 17th–18th centuries along with the prized woolen shawls of Kashmir. The garment carried its name across the world much as it carries warmth across shoulders.