jacket

Where does the word "jacket" come from? It comes from Old French jaque, and was adopted directly into English (1400s).

Jacket’s story begins in Old French: jaque meant “padded tunic.” A padded tunic, possibly named from Jacques, the nickname for a French peasant, as in the Jacquerie revolt of 1358; an Arabic source has also been proposed. It reached English by 1400s as jacket. Via its Middle French diminutive jaquet, a short close-fitting coat; later extended to covers, like potatoes baked 'in their jackets' and paper dust jackets on books from the 1890s. Today, jacket means a short coat; an outer covering.

1. Stage 1 · Old French · 1300s jaque "padded tunic", a padded tunic, possibly named from Jacques, the nickname for a French peasant, as in the Jacquerie revolt of 1358; an Arabic source has also been proposed.
2. Stage 2 · English · 1400s jacket "short coat; outer cover", via its Middle French diminutive jaquet, a short close-fitting coat; later extended to covers, like potatoes baked 'in their jackets' and paper dust jackets on books from the 1890s.