Lapel
/ləˈpɛl/noun
The folded front edge of a coat or jacket that is turned back on either side of the opening.
Did you know?Lapel is a diminutive form of French lape, meaning a flap or hanging piece of cloth, so the word’s power is literally in a small turned-back edge.
Etymological Timeline
Middle French
French
lape
“a flap or hanging piece of cloth”
17th Century
French
lapel
“a small flap or lappet”
18th Century
English
lapel
“the turned-back part of a coat or jacket”
Modern English
English
lapel
“the folded front edge of a coat or jacket”