Word of the Week – Tweed

When you hear the word tweed, you probably think of professors in sports coats, likely with leather elbow patches, or a feminine jacket inspired by the cloth most popular for said coats with elbow patches (or maybe that’s just me, LOL). But did you know that the word originally didn’t mean a fabric at all, but was a river?

The River Tweed is in Scotland, the history of how it got its name is lost to the mists of time…historians assume it’s a Celtic word whose meaning has been lost. But in the Victorian era it became a very popular fishing and outdoor-sporting spot. And of course, a gentleman had to be properly outfitted for these rod-fishing adventures, so he turned to twill–a weaving technique that uses that distinct parallel-ribbing pattern, which makes it quite tough (it can be made of a variety of materials). 

Well, the twill outfits seen on the Tweed quickly became rather iconic…to the point that London tailors began to take note and refer to “Tweed fishing trousers” and “Tweed jackets.” It wasn’t long at all–just a couple years–before tweed came to mean that twill fabric itself, though primarily, at first, by one specific clothing house, Doudney & Son.

So if you’re a tweed fan, now you know to thank the rod-fishing gentlemen of the 1830s.

Word Nerds Merch!