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Where does the word "muumuu" come from? It comes from Hawaiian mu'umu'u, and was adopted directly into English (1900s).
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Where does the word "muumuu" come from? It comes from Hawaiian mu'umu'u, and was adopted directly into English (1900s).
Muumuu’s story begins in Hawaiian: mu'umu'u meant “a loose, cut-off dress.” Originally meaning "cut off", describing a simplified missionary-introduced dress without a yoke. It reached English by 1900s as muumuu. Adopted for the loose, colorful Hawaiian dress. Today, muumuu means a loose-fitting, brightly patterned Hawaiian dress.
- Stage 1 · Hawaiian · 1800s mu'umu'u "a loose, cut-off dress", originally meaning "cut off", describing a simplified missionary-introduced dress without a yoke.
- Stage 2 · English · 1900s muumuu "a loose, brightly patterned dress", adopted for the loose, colorful Hawaiian dress.