Jarmulke
/ˈjɑːr.məl.kə/noun
A skullcap traditionally worn by Jewish men, especially during prayer or religious study.
Did you know?The commonly cited Turkic origin is not completely certain, but Polish and Ukrainian forms connect the word to Turkic yağmurluk, a rain-protective garment.
Etymological Timeline
Medieval Turkic
Turkic
yağmur
“Rain”
Ottoman Turkish
Turkish
yağmurluk
“A rain garment or protective covering”
17th Century
Polish
jarmułka
“A small cap or skullcap”
17th–18th Century
Ukrainian
ярмулка (yarmulka)
“A Jewish skullcap”
18th–19th Century
Yiddish
יאַרמלקע (yarmlke)
“A skullcap worn by Jewish men”
19th Century
English
yarmulke
“A Jewish skullcap; the spelling jarmulke is a variant”