Etymology Explorer › English

Where does “vest-pocket” come from?

vest-pocket (English) comes from English vest, from French veste, from Italian veste, from Latin vestis, from Latin līnea, from Latin līnum, from Proto-Italic līnom, from Proto-Indo-European līnom — flax.

vest-pocket (English): Small enough to be carried in a vest pocket or...

Definitions

  1. Small enough to be carried in a vest pocket or...

Ancestry of “vest-pocket”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1EnglishvestA loose robe or outer garment worn historically...
2Frenchvestejacket
3Italianvestedress; clothes; appearance, capacity
4Latinvestisgarment, gown, robe, vestment, clothing, vesture;...
5Latinlīnea—
6Latinlīnum—
7Proto-Italiclīnom—
8Proto-Indo-Europeanlīnomflax
Every word from Proto-Indo-European līnom →