Etymologically
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bikini

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Pronunciation

  • IPA: /bɪˈkiː.ni/ (UK); /bɪˈki.ni/ (US)[1]

Etymology

It is borrowed from French bikini,[2][3][4][5] named after Bikini, an atoll in the Marshall Islands,[2][3][4][5][6] where the United States tested an atomic bomb in June 1946.[5][6]

Earliest recorded meaning

A woman's scanty two-piece bathing suit (1947 in the OED and Merriam-Webster; 1948 in Barnhart and Etymonline).[7][4][3][5]

Semantic evolution

The French name was coined in 1947.[5] No explanation of it is certain;[3][5] the most likely is a comparison between the explosive force of the bomb and the effect of the swimsuit.[5] In 1947 English also briefly used bikini for a large explosion.[7] The word was later applied to brief swimming trunks for men,[2][4][6] and from 1960 to low-cut briefs.[5]

Timeline

  • 1946 – atomic bomb test at Bikini atoll.[5][6]
  • 1947 – a large explosion.[7]
  • 1947 – the two-piece bathing suit.[7][4]
  • 1960 – scanty briefs.[5]

Modern meaning

Noun

  1. A woman's very brief two-piece bathing suit.
  2. A very brief, close-fitting swimsuit for men.
  3. Brief underpants cut to reach the hips rather than the waist.

Word family

  • bikinied
  • monokini
  • tankini
  • string bikini

References

  1. ^ Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org
  2. ^ a b c The American Heritage Dictionary of the English Language (1992), 3rd ed., Boston: Houghton Mifflin
  3. ^ a b c d Barnhart, Robert K., ed. (1995), The Barnhart Concise Dictionary of Etymology, New York: HarperCollins
  4. ^ a b c d e Merriam-Webster's Collegiate Dictionary (2003), 11th ed., Springfield, Mass.: Merriam-Webster
  5. ^ a b c d e f g h i j Harper, Douglas. Online Etymology Dictionary, https://www.etymonline.com
  6. ^ a b c d Random House Webster's Unabridged Dictionary (1999), 2nd ed., New York: Random House
  7. ^ a b c d Simpson, J. A.; Weiner, E. S. C., eds. (1989), The Oxford English Dictionary, 2nd ed., Oxford: Clarendon Press