jeans

Where does the word "jeans" come from? It comes from French Gênes, passing through English before entering English (1800s).

Jeans’s story begins in French: Gênes meant “the city of Genoa.” The French name for Genoa, Italy, whose sailors wore a sturdy cotton twill. By 1500s, the word had taken hold in English as jean. Adopted for the sturdy cotton twill fabric named after the city. It reached English by 1800s as jeans. Settled as the word for trousers made from the durable fabric. Today, jeans means trousers made from sturdy cotton denim fabric.

1. Stage 1 · French · medieval Gênes "the city of Genoa", the French name for Genoa, Italy, whose sailors wore a sturdy cotton twill.
2. Stage 2 · English · 1500s jean "a sturdy cotton twill fabric", adopted for the sturdy cotton twill fabric named after the city.
3. Stage 3 · English · 1800s jeans "trousers made from sturdy cotton twill", settled as the word for trousers made from the durable fabric.