Farthingale

Part of speech: noun

Pronunciation: /ˈfɑːðɪŋɡeɪl/

Definitions

1. A structured underskirt made with hoops that shapes and supports the outer garment into a wide, rounded form
2. An internal framework consisting of rings or hoops designed to hold out a gown or skirt in a specific silhouette
3. A rigid, often circular inner frame worn under clothing to create volume and maintain a fashionable shape

Etymology: The word "farthingale" sounds English, but its roots run through Spain. The Spanish "verdugado" described a padded hoop-skirt framework, and it came from "verdugo," meaning "rod" or "stick," the same stiff stick idea that gave the frame its shape. The Spanish term passed into French as "verdugale," and English speakers borrowed that French form, which then sounded its way into the familiar shape we know today. Along the way, the English spelling shifted considerably. Earlier forms such as "vardingale" show the word being pronounced and written as English speakers tried to make sense of an unfamiliar foreign term. Over time the spelling settled into "farthingale," and the mismatch between that spelling and its Spanish source is a good reminder of how borrowed words get reshaped by the ears and mouths of the people who adopt them.

Synonyms: hoop skirt, petticoat