Dungaree (fabric)

Dungaree is typically associated with working clothes, here seen on mechanics working on a North American T-6 Texan trainer during the Second World War

Dungaree fabric (used in English since 1605–15, from the Marathi dongrī) is a historical term for an Indian coarse thick calico[1] cloth. The word is possibly derived from Dongri, a dockside village near Mumbai.[2] Cotton twill with indigo-dyed warp thread is now more commonly referred to as denim.[3]

In American English, the term is used for hard-wearing work trousers made from such fabric and in British English for bib overalls in various fabrics, either for casual or work use.[2] By 1891 English author Rudyard Kipling was using the word to refer to a kind of garment (in the plural)[4] as well as a fabric.[5]

  1. ^ Textiles : production, trade, and demand. Mazzaoui, Maureen Fennell. Aldershot: Ashgate/Variorum. 1998. ISBN 0-86078-509-2. OCLC 36138342.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: others (link)
  2. ^ a b "Dungaree". Oxford Dictionaries. Archived from the original on 20 May 2016. Retrieved 3 October 2012.
  3. ^ "Levi's site consistently talks about Denim not Dungaree". levi.com. Retrieved 19 February 2016.
  4. ^ 1891, R. Kipling, poem, The City of Dreadful Night "He's got his dungarees on."
  5. ^ R. Kipling, The Bridge Builders, "Peroo was standing on the topmost coping of the tower, clad in the blue dungaree of his abandoned service ...".