balaclava

balaclava
balaclava "woolen head covering," especially worn by soldiers, evidently named for village near Sebastopol, Russia, site of a battle Oct. 25, 1854, in the Crimean War. But the term (originally Balaclava helmet) does not appear before 1881 and seems to have come into widespread use in the Boer War. The British troops seem to have suffered from the cold in the Crimean War, and the usage might be a remembrance of that conflict. The town name (Balaklava) often is said to be from Turkish, but is perhaps folk-etymologized from a Greek original Palakion.

Etymology dictionary. 2014.

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  • Balaclava — 44°30′N 33°36′E / 44.5, 33.6 …   Wikipédia en Français

  • balaclava — n. close fitting and woolen and covers all of the head but the face. Syn: balaclava helmet. [WordNet 1.5] …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • balaclava — s. f. Gorro de malha justo, que cobre a cabeça até ao pescoço ou até aos ombros, por vezes apenas com abertura para os olhos, para olhos e nariz ou para olhos, nariz e boca, geralmente usado para proteção por montanhistas, esquiadores, pilotos,… …   Dicionário da Língua Portuguesa

  • balaclava — ► NOUN ▪ a close fitting woollen hat covering the head and encircling the neck. ORIGIN named after the village of Balaclava in the Crimea: the hat was worn originally by soldiers in the Crimean War …   English terms dictionary

  • balaclava — [bäl΄ə klä′və] n. [after BALAKLAVA: prob. because worn by soldiers in the Crimean War] a knitted covering for the head and neck, with an opening for the nose and eyes, worn for protection against wind and extreme cold: also balaclava helmet …   English World dictionary

  • Balaclava — Places: *Balaklava, a town in the Crimea, Ukraine, site of the Battle of Balaclava of the Crimean War *Balaklava, South Australia *Balaklava, a small town in the Cockpit County in central Jamaica *Balaclava, County Durham, County Durham, England… …   Wikipedia

  • Balaclava — 1 Original name in latin Balaclava Name in other language State code AU Continent/City Australia/Melbourne longitude 37.86916 latitude 144.99773 altitude 17 Population 5035 Date 2011 08 26 2 Original name in latin Balaclava Name in other language …   Cities with a population over 1000 database

  • balaclava — noun Etymology: Balaclava, Crimea, site of a British encampment during the Crimean War Date: 1941 a knit cap for the head and neck called also balaclava helmet …   New Collegiate Dictionary

  • balaclava — UK [ˌbæləˈklɑːvə] / US [ˌbæləˈklɑvə] noun [countable] Word forms balaclava : singular balaclava plural balaclavas a warm hat that covers your head, neck, and usually all of your face except your eyes …   English dictionary

  • balaclava — n. (in full Balaclava helmet) a tight woollen garment covering the whole head and neck except for parts of the face, worn orig. by soldiers on active service in the Crimean War. Etymology: Balaclava in the Crimea, the site of a battle in 1854 …   Useful english dictionary

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