Jerkins

Part of speech: noun

Definitions

1. A short, often sleeveless coat or jacket traditionally made from materials like leather or wool, which may serve as a fashionable historical garment worn by men
2. A garment featuring a short cut typically crafted from leather or wool, commonly associated with men's attire in the past, and sometimes designed without sleeves to be worn over other clothing
3. A type of short outer garment typically worn over other clothes that is often sleeveless and made from materials like leather or wool

Etymology: "Jerkins" is the plural of "jerkin", a short sleeveless jacket, and the singular is the form that carries the history. The word first appears in English in the early 1500s, and its origin is unclear. One suggestion links it to Dutch "jurk", meaning "dress", though that Dutch word itself has no known origin and is not recorded before the 17th century, so the connection is uncertain. Another proposal derives it from Old French "journe", meaning "day", but this too remains a suggestion rather than a settled answer.