camisole

Where does the word "camisole" come from? It comes from Late Latin camisia, passing through Occitan and French before entering English (1810s).

Camisole’s story begins in Late Latin: camisia meant “shirt.” A shirt or linen undergarment, perhaps from Gaulish. By medieval, the word had taken hold in Occitan as camisola. A little shirt. From there it passed into French as camisole by 1700s. A short jacket or bodice. It reached English by 1810s as camisole. Became a lingerie term in the 1800s. Today, camisole means a woman's loose sleeveless undergarment for the upper body.

1. Stage 1 · Late Latin · ancient camisia "shirt", a shirt or linen undergarment, perhaps from Gaulish.
2. Stage 2 · Occitan · medieval camisola "small shirt", a little shirt.
3. Stage 3 · French · 1700s camisole "bodice", a short jacket or bodice.
4. Stage 4 · English · 1810s camisole "sleeveless undergarment", became a lingerie term in the 1800s.