Etymology Explorer › English

Where does “sportswear” come from?

Sportswear is a compound of English sport and English wear, ultimately from English sport with origins traceable through Middle English and Old French desport meaning amusement or diversion.

sportswear (English): casual clothing that is comfortable to wear when...

Definitions

  1. casual clothing that is comfortable to wear when...

Ancestry of “sportswear”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Englishsportsplural of sport; Third-person singular simple...
2EnglishsportAny activity that uses physical exertion or...
3Middle Englishsport—
4Middle Englishdisport—
5Old FrenchdesportAlternative form of deport
6Old Frenchdeportenjoyment; fun
7Latindeportō—
8Latindē-—
9Latindē—
10Latinpostbehind; after, since, besides, except; behind,...
11Latinposteablative singular of postis
12Proto-Italicposti—
13Proto-Indo-Europeanpósti—
14Proto-Indo-Europeanpósafterwards, post; by, at
Every word from Proto-Indo-European pós →