Etymology

jerkin

J8E1R1K5I1N1

Today it means: A type of men's garment popular in the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries: a close-fitting collarless jacket, with or without sleeves. Full definition →

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The story

First recorded in early 1500s. Possibly related to Dutch jurk (“dress”), itself of unknown origin and not attested before the 17th century. Derivation from Old French jo(u)rne (“day”) has been suggested.

Etymology from Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.