Cardigan
/ˈkɑːr.dɪ.ɡən/noun
A knitted sweater or jacket that opens down the front.
Did you know?The word comes from the 7th Earl of Cardigan, whose name was attached to the sweater style after the Crimean War, so this everyday knit is secretly a military surname turned wardrobe staple.
Etymological Timeline
Ancient Celtic
Celtic
*kerd- / *card-
“A likely ancient place-name element connected with a fort or enclosed settlement”
Medieval Welsh
Welsh
Ceredigion
“A historic region in west Wales”
16th Century
English
Cardigan
“A surname and title derived from the Welsh place-name”
1850s
English
cardigan
“A knitted waistcoat or jacket, named after James Brudenell, 7th Earl of Cardigan”
Modern English
English
cardigan
“A front-opening knitted sweater or jacket”
Explore more surprising origins