Wimples

Part of speech: noun

Definitions

1. A type of cloth covering or veil worn by women, often associated with modesty or religious attire
2. A head covering that drapes over the hair and may frame the face, historically used in various cultures
3. A decorative garment or accessory that serves both practical and aesthetic functions in traditional women's fashion

Etymology: The wimple is a linen or cloth covering that wraps around the neck, chin and sides of the face, once a standard part of women's dress in the Middle Ages and still worn by some nuns. Its name is a word of the Old English period, where "wimpel" meant a veil or covering for the neck, a cloak, or a hood. The same Germanic root produced a family of words for things that hang loose and catch the wind: German "Wimpel" and Dutch "wimpel" both mean a pennant or streamer, and Swedish "vimpel" means a banner. The shared idea is cloth that moves and folds, which suggests the headdress was named for its drape rather than its shape. Middle English gave the word a second life as a verb, "wimplen," meaning to cover, conceal, fold or drape. That verb seems to have come from the noun, so the headdress was named first and the act of wrapping something in cloth followed. The plural "wimples" simply refers to more than one of these coverings.

Synonyms: headscarf, veil