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Mackintosh

2 stages from Scottish Gaelic to English.

Today it means a full-length waterproof raincoat

Where does the word "mackintosh" come from? It comes from Scottish Gaelic Mac an Tòisich, adopted directly into English (1836).

1
Stage 1 of 2
Mac an Tòisich
Scottish Gaelic · medieval
"son of the chief"
'son of the toiseach (chieftain)', the name of a Highland clan
2
Stage 2 of 2
mackintosh
English · 1836
"rubberised raincoat"
Glasgow chemist Charles Macintosh patented a waterproof cloth of two fabrics bonded with rubber dissolved in naphtha in 1823; the raincoats named after him gained an extra k
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Read the full story

Mackintosh’s story begins in Scottish Gaelic: Mac an Tòisich meant “son of the chief.” 'son of the toiseach (chieftain)', the name of a Highland clan. It reached English by 1836 as mackintosh. Glasgow chemist Charles Macintosh patented a waterproof cloth of two fabrics bonded with rubber dissolved in naphtha in 1823; the raincoats named after him gained an extra k. Today, mackintosh means a full-length waterproof raincoat.