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Where does the word "chaps" come from? It comes from Mexican Spanish chaparreras, and was adopted directly into English (1880s).
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Where does the word "chaps" come from? It comes from Mexican Spanish chaparreras, and was adopted directly into English (1880s).
Chaps’s story begins in Mexican Spanish: chaparreras meant “riding leggings.” Leggings for riding through the thorny 'chaparral'. It reached English by 1880s as chaps. Shortened by cowboys. Today, chaps means leather leggings worn by cowboys.
- Stage 1 · Mexican Spanish · 1800s chaparreras "riding leggings", leggings for riding through the thorny 'chaparral'.
- Stage 2 · American English · 1880s chaps "leather leggings", shortened by cowboys.