Bikinis
/bɪˈkiːniz/noun
Two-piece swimsuits consisting typically of a top and a brief-like bottom.
Did you know?French engineer Louis Réard introduced the bikini in 1946, only days after nuclear weapons tests began at Bikini Atoll, choosing the name because he expected the design to create an explosive public reaction.
Etymological Timeline
Pre-1946
Marshallese
Pikinni
“The traditional Marshallese name for Bikini Atoll, commonly interpreted as “coconut place” or a place of coconuts.”
1946
French
bikini
“A newly coined name for a revealing two-piece swimsuit, borrowed from the name of Bikini Atoll.”
1946
English
bikini
“A two-piece bathing suit; the name carried an intentional association with the atomic tests at Bikini Atoll.”
20th Century
English
bikinis
“The regular English plural of bikini.”
Modern English
English
bikinis
“Two-piece swimsuits, especially in references to different styles or garments.”
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