Kalpac
/ˈkæl.pæk/noun
A traditional tall, often fur-trimmed cap worn in parts of Central Asia and Eastern Europe.
Did you know?The kalpac became an important ethnic and political symbol among several Central Asian peoples, with its shape, color, and material sometimes communicating regional or social identity.
Etymological Timeline
Early Turkic period
Turkic
qalpaq
“A distinctive cap or hat; the ultimate origin of the term is uncertain.”
Medieval Turkic usage
Turkic
qalpaq
“A traditional head covering used across Central Asian cultural regions.”
18th Century
Ottoman Turkish
kalpak
“A tall cap, commonly associated with fur or other substantial materials.”
18th–19th Century
Russian
калпак (kalpak)
“A traditional cap; the word circulated through Russian contact with Turkic-speaking peoples.”
19th Century
English
kalpak / kalpac
“An adopted English name for the Central Asian or Eastern European cap.”
Modern English
English
kalpac
“A variant spelling of kalpak, referring to a traditional regional cap.”