Etymology

balaclava

B3A1L1A1C3L1A1V4A1

Today it means: A type of warm headgear covering the neck, head, and often part of the face, with apertures left as necessary, often made out of wool. Full definition →

Ottoman Turkish بالقلاوه
Ask AI about its historyChatGPTClaudePerplexityGoogle AIGrok

balaclava · noun1

  1. Ottoman Turkish · derived fromبالقلاوه
  2. English todaybalaclava

From the city of Balaklava in Crimea, from Ottoman Turkish بالقلاوه (modern Turkish balıklava), alteration of بالقلاغه (balıklaga, “fishing ground”). During the Crimean War the British troops suffered from cold due to improper clothing. When the news spread in the home front after the Battle of Balaclava in 1854, the people began knitting warm clothing for the soldiers, including woollen caps to be worn under the helmet, which were named balaclavas by the troops.

Balaclava · proper noun2

  1. Ottoman Turkish · derived fromبالقلاوه
  2. Russian · borrowed fromБалакла́ва
  3. English todayBalaclava

From Balaklava, from Russian Балакла́ва (Balakláva), from Ottoman Turkish بالقلاوه (balıklava), from بالقلاغه (balıklaga, “fishing ground”) * (Jamaica): From Balaklava or the Battle of Balaclava.

Words from the same roots

Ottoman Turkishبالقلاوه all →

balaklava

RussianБалакла́ва all →

balaklava

Etymology from Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.