bloomers
UK[ˈbluːməz]US[ˈblumərz]
n
A type of loose trousers gathered at the knee or calf, worn by women in the past for sports or as an undergarment.
n
(historical) Women's loose, knee-length underpants, often with frills.
Morpheme Breakdown
bloom
ers
bloom
to flourish
ers
plural noun suffix denoting things associated with
Etymology
The word 'bloomers' is an eponym, derived from the name of Amelia Jenks Bloomer, an American social reformer and women's rights activist of the 19th century. While she did not invent the garment, she was a prominent advocate for this more practical style of clothing as an alternative to restrictive corsets and heavy skirts. The term leverages the root 'bloom', suggesting flourishing or coming into full development, metaphorically aligning with the movement for women's emancipation and physical freedom. Over time, the association with Mrs. Bloomer's advocacy became so strong that her name, pluralized, became the standard term for the garment itself.
Analysis
Structure: bloom (to flourish) + ers (plural noun suffix denoting things associated with)
bloom (from Middle English 'blome', meaning flower or state of flowering, of Germanic origin); ers (a common English plural suffix forming nouns, often from agent nouns or objects).
Examples
In the late 1800s, some women adopted bloomers for cycling.
The costume for the play included authentic Victorian-era bloomers.
She found an old pair of lace-trimmed bloomers in her great-grandmother's trunk.