Word of the Day - 11/11/25
millinery
/'mɪlə,nɛri/(n.): hats for women; the wares sold by a milliner
The museum displayed a stunning collection of Victorian millinery, each hat a work of art.
(n.): shop selling women's hats
After years of working from home, she finally opened her own millinery shop downtown.
Word Origin
The word 'millinery' originated from 'milliner', which itself derived from 'Milaner'. 'Milaner' originally referred to an inhabitant of Milan, an Italian city famed for its production of high-quality fancy goods, including fashionable hats and ribbons. Consequently, 'milliner' evolved to specifically mean a person who makes or sells women's hats, and 'millinery' denotes the trade or business itself. Its language of origin is English, stemming from the place name Milan.
Words with similar origins include 'denim', which comes from "serge de Nîmes" (serge from Nîmes, France), 'calico' from Calicut, India, and 'damask' from Damascus, Syria. These are all terms for goods named after their places of origin, similar to how 'milliner' came from Milan due to the city's reputation for certain products.