denim

Where does the word "denim" come from? It comes from French de Nîmes, and was adopted directly into English (1700s).

Denim’s story begins in French: de Nîmes meant “from the city of Nîmes.” Literally "from Nîmes", the French city where the sturdy twill fabric was made. It reached English by 1700s as denim. The French phrase was shortened into a single word. Today, denim means a sturdy cotton twill fabric, typically blue, used to make jeans.

1. Stage 1 · French · 1600s de Nîmes "from the city of Nîmes", literally "from Nîmes", the French city where the sturdy twill fabric was made.
2. Stage 2 · English · 1700s denim "a sturdy cotton twill fabric", the French phrase was shortened into a single word.