leotard

Where does the word "leotard" come from? It comes from French Léotard, and was adopted directly into English (1920s).

Leotard’s story begins in French: Léotard meant “a family name.” Jules Léotard, a gymnast from Toulouse, performed the first flying-trapeze act at the Cirque Napoléon in Paris on 12 November 1859, wearing a one-piece knitted costume. It reached English by 1920s as leotard. The 1867 music-hall song 'The Daring Young Man on the Flying Trapeze' was about him; his name for the garment is recorded in English from the 1920s. Today, leotard means a close-fitting one-piece garment worn by dancers and gymnasts.

1. Stage 1 · French · 1859 Léotard "a family name", Jules Léotard, a gymnast from Toulouse, performed the first flying-trapeze act at the Cirque Napoléon in Paris on 12 November 1859, wearing a one-piece knitted costume.
2. Stage 2 · English · 1920s leotard "tight one-piece garment", the 1867 music-hall song 'The Daring Young Man on the Flying Trapeze' was about him; his name for the garment is recorded in English from the 1920s.