Jarmułka
/jarˈmuːw.ka/noun
A skullcap worn by some Jewish men, especially during prayer or religious study.
Did you know?The popular explanation connecting the word to Hebrew yirah malkah, “fear of the King,” is generally treated by scholars as folk etymology rather than the proven source.
Etymological Timeline
16th–17th Century
Polish
jarmułka
“A term for a Jewish head covering; the form is recorded in Polish usage.”
17th Century
Yiddish
yarmulke
“A Jewish skullcap or ritual head covering.”
17th–18th Century
English
yarmulke
“An English borrowing referring to the Jewish skullcap.”
Modern English
English
yarmulke
“A skullcap worn by some Jewish men, also called a kippah.”