Wams

Meaning

jerkin, doublet

Concepts

doublet

jerkin

undergarment

waistcoat

padded undershirt

Synonyms

Weste

Joppe

Kittel

Koller

Mantel

🧥

Rock

Zweibiteinheit

Kamisol

Dublette

Schamper

Jacke

Janker

Translations

borstrok

buis

wambuis

jubón

kamizool

sayo

pourpoint

justaucorps

colletin

blusotto

farsetto

giubba

giubbotto

justet

Pronounced as (IPA)

/vams/

Etymology

From Middle High German wambes, wambeis, from Old French wambais, from Medieval Latin wambāsium, bambāsium. This is predominantly considered a derivative of Frankish *wamba, from Proto-Germanic *wambō (“belly, womb”), making Wams a doublet of Wamme (“dewlap”) and Wampe (“potbelly, paunch”). Alternative etymology derives it from Latin bambax (“coton”), from Ancient Greek πάμβαξ (pámbax), in which case, however, the Romance w- is difficult to explain. More at gambeson.