fez
UK[fɛz]US[fɛz]
n
a round red hat with a flat top and a tassel, traditionally worn by men in some muslim countries.
Etymology
the word 'fez' is a direct loanword from turkish, where it is spelled 'fes'. the turkish term, in turn, is derived from the name of the city of fez in morocco, which was a major center for the manufacture of the dye (crimson) used to color the hat's felt. the hat itself became a potent symbol, most famously as part of the modernizing dress code mandated in the ottoman empire in the early 19th century. thus, the word's journey is purely referential, moving from a geographic name to the name of a distinctive article of clothing associated with that place.
Analysis
this word is a loanword and is not productively formed from separable english morphemes. it is analyzed as a simplex.
Examples
the old merchant wore a traditional fez as he sipped his tea.
the fez was once a common part of formal attire in many regions of the former ottoman empire.
the bright red tassel on his fez swung as he walked.