Mackinac

Part of speech: noun

Definitions

1. A short, heavy woolen jacket or coat, typically with a plaid pattern, traditionally worn in cold weather
2. A sturdy woolen garment of knee-length or shorter, featuring a thick nap and often brightly colored stripes or checks
3. A thick, durable woolen coat of moderate length, usually made with a bold pattern and designed for warmth in harsh climates

Etymology: Mackinac is a place name, the Straits of Mackinac between Michigan's upper and lower peninsulas, and it comes from Ojibwe (Anishinaabemowin) through French. The best-supported form is "Michilimackinac," which French traders and missionaries recorded in the 1600s. The first element is generally linked to words for "large" or "great," and the second to a word for "turtle," which is often said to refer to the shape of the island or the local landscape. Scholars are not fully agreed on the exact Ojibwe components, so the precise meaning should be treated as uncertain. Over time the long name was shortened by English speakers and French speakers alike. "Michilimackinac" became "Mackinaw" or "Mackinac," and the shorter forms came to name not only the strait and island but also the thick wool jacket called a "mackinaw" coat, a garment associated with lumbermen and outdoor workers in the Great Lakes region. The jacket is named after the place, not the other way round.