Meaning Behind The Words: Other Terms Used For Umbrellas | Blog | Fulton Umbrellas (2024)
We’re not sure whether you’ve noticed, but our team love umbrellas. We simply can’t get enough of them and surprisingly, we all have our own little names for them. Although this is something that is common from region to region, it’s important for us all to understand the actual meaning behind them and how they came to become part of our ever-evolving vocabulary.
We take a look at some of the common names used for umbrellas, how many have you heard of?
Bumbershoot This may be one word that you’re not as familiar with, as it was thought to originate in the United States. Although surprisingly, many Americans assume that the word is British slang. As you can probably imagine, it is used as quite a playful term for umbrella and apparently dates back to the late 1890s.
It’s not entirely clear how the word came to be, but that doesn’t mean we can’t make some assumptions. It sounds like the “bumber” part of the word is a derivative of “umbr” and the “shoot” is similar to the “-chute” part of the word in a parachute which does make a little bit of sense!
Gamp A Gamp is essentially a large umbrella, but this word is thought to have made its debut in 1855. The word derives from Charles Dicken’s Martin Chuzzlewit novel (1843-44) which featured a character called Sarah Gamp who often carried a large cotton umbrella. Her companion, which endured many adventures was described as: “in colour like a faded leaf, except where a circular patch of a lively blue had been dexterously let in at the top”.
From this, people began calling the umbrella a Gamp! Although the word isn’t commonly used now, it still remains featured in most dictionaries.
Brolly The origin of brolly is an alteration of (um)brell(a) dating back to around 1870-1875. This word is one that we commonly use today, with many brands even marketing the product as this. Although the term stems from the extracted ‘brell’, this is thought to have changed over time as language develops.
“Brelly” has slowly become “brolly”, likely as a result of accents and regional differences. Regional accents are known to have been significantly different around this time and were a lot sterner — something which has watered down with increased travel opportunities and media influence. So much so, that the North/South regional differences were intense enough to cause word change.
It’s clear that nicknames for the umbrella have changed over time — we’ve lost old ones and gained new ones, but that’s all part of linguistic development. However, the questions we want answered is why haven’t we started calling our windproof umbrellas a Hagrid or our ladies umbrellas a Poppins? Now that would be awesome.
umbrella term (plural umbrella terms) A term used to cover a broad category of things rather than a single specific item. synonyms ▲quotations ▼ Synonyms: blanket term, (technical) hypernym. “Cryptology” is an umbrella term that encompasses cryptography and cryptanalysis.
a word or phrase used as a unifying term under which a group of specific and related things, words, phrases, subjects, or functions belongs: To be clear, “encephalopathy” is an umbrella term for any brain disease, and we're testing to find out exactly what condition you may have.
a device for protection against the rain, consisting of a stick with a folding frame covered in material at one end and usually a handle at the other, or a similar, often larger, device used for protection against the sun: I felt a few drops of rain, so I put my umbrella up.
/ʌmˈbrɛlə/ 1an object with a round folding frame of long, straight pieces of metal covered with material, that you use to protect yourself from the rain or from hot sun I put up my umbrella.
An umbrella is that lightweight, collapsible cover that's handy on a rainy day. People also use umbrellas to protect themselves from the sun. Since an umbrella covers people and things, umbrella is also a metaphor for something that brings unity.
Banksy created Nola, or Rain Girl, to commemorate the devastation caused to New Orleans by Hurricane Katrina in 2005. As Banksy depicts the young girl discovering that her umbrella is itself the source of a downpour, he lampoons authorities' negligent response to the natural disaster, which led to further grief.
They can represent protection, prosperity, royalty, power, shelter, prestige, femininity and fashion within cultures around the world. These attributes are represented in art, sculpture, figurines, religion, literature and practise. Umbrella and parasol production is a skill in itself.
umbrella term (plural umbrella terms) A term used to cover a broad category of things rather than a single specific item. synonyms ▲quotations ▼ Synonyms: blanket term, (technical) hypernym. “Cryptology” is an umbrella term that encompasses cryptography and cryptanalysis.
The umbrella usually symbolizes the canopy of the heavens, shelter, and protection. The parasol is a symbol of the SUN, and an umbrella is a symbol of the shade. It is often an emblem of power and dignity.
noun. a light, small, portable, usually circular cover for protection from rain or sun, consisting of a fabric held on a collapsible frame of thin ribs radiating from the top of a carrying stick or handle.
An umbrella is that lightweight, collapsible cover that's handy on a rainy day. People also use umbrellas to protect themselves from the sun. Since an umbrella covers people and things, umbrella is also a metaphor for something that brings unity.
As well as having many practical uses, umbrellas are also aesthetically pleasing and therefore ideal for decorating a space. They are especially useful for decorating big events, such as parties and wedding venues, due to their eye-catching appearance.
The hypernym is also called a supertype, umbrella term, or blanket term. The hyponym is a subtype of the hypernym. The semantic field of the hyponym is included within that of the hypernym.
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