Etymology

wimple

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Today it means: A cloth which usually covers the head and is worn around the neck and chin. It was worn by women in medieval Europe and is still worn by nuns in certain orders. Full definition →

Middle English wympel ← Old English wimpel ← Proto-Germanic *wimpilaz
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wimple · noun1

  1. Proto-Germanic · inherited from*wimpilaz“wimple, scarf, veil”
  2. Old English · inherited fromwimpel“veil, an article of women's dress; a covering for the neck, a cloak, a hood”
  3. Middle English · inherited fromwympel
  4. English todaywimple

From Middle English wympel, wimpel, from Old English wimpel (“veil, an article of women's dress; a covering for the neck, a cloak, a hood”), from Proto-Germanic *wimpilaz (“wimple, scarf, veil”). Cognate with Scots wympill (“wimple”), Dutch wimpel (“streamer, pennant”), German Wimpel (“pennant”), Swedish vimpel (“pennant, banner”), Icelandic vimpill (“hood, cowl”).

wimple · verb2

  1. Middle English · inherited fromwimplen“to cover, conceal; to fold, drape”
  2. English todaywimple

From Middle English wimplen (“to cover, conceal; to fold, drape”).

Wimple · proper noun3

From wimple, a metonymic occupational surname for a maker of wimples.

Words from the same roots

Proto-Germanic*wimpilaz all →

guimpevimpa

Etymology from Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.