Sebiro (背広 - Suit)

"Suit" is often called just "sūtsu" (スーツ) in Japan, but it sometimes called "sebiro" (背広).

The "se" (背) means "(person's) back" and the "biro/hiro" (広) means "wide," so I thought that the term "sebiro" derived from Japanese words.

However, according to the Internet, the most accepted theory about the etymology of "sebiro" is that "civil" of "civil clothes" changed to "sebiro."

Also, there is another theory that said that it comes from "Savile" of "Savile Row" where many well-established tailors have opened in London.

There are many surprises when I'm studying about etymologies.

背広

折り襟の紳士服のことを、「背広」と言うことがあります。

「背」は "(person's) back," 「広」は "wide" という意味を持つ日本語のため、私は「背広」の語源は日本語にあると思っていました。

しかし、最も有力な説は、軍服に対する市民服を意味する "civil clothes" の "civil" が変化して「せびろ」となったというものです。

また、ロンドンの老舗仕立て屋が多く並ぶ通り "Savile Row" の "Savile" が変化したという説もあります。

語源について調べていると、驚くことがたくさんあります。