guimpe

English

Etymology

From French guimpe, from Middle French guimpe, from Old French guimple (“wimple”), from Frankish *wimpil, *wimpila (“head scarf”), from Proto-Germanic *wimpilaz, from *wīpaną ("to wind, sling, garland, swing"; from Proto-Indo-European *wimb-, *weyb- (“to turn, rotate”)) + Proto-Germanic *-ilaz (instrumental suffix). Cognate with Old High German wimpal and winfila (“head scarf”), Middle Dutch wumpel (“cap”), Old English wimpel, winpel (“wimple”), Old Norse vimpill (“hood, veil”). Also influenced by Old French guimpre (“a kind of trimming”), from the same Germanic source. More at wimple.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ɡɪmp/
• Rhymes: -ɪmp
• Homophone: gimp

Noun

guimpe (countable and uncountable, plural guimpes)

1. Gimp; a narrow flat braid or reinforced cord of fabric used for ornamental trimming.
2. A kind of short, high-necked blouse with sleeves of the late Victorian era, designed to be worn under a low-cut dress, jumper, or pinafore dress.
   • 1916, “Smocking”, in The Dressmaker: A Complete Book on All Matters Connected with Sewing and Dressmaking […], 2nd revised and enlarged edition, New York, N.Y., London: The Butterick Publishing Company, →OCLC, page 29:

     Smocking done in colors on fine white batiste, silk mull, or nainsook makes pretty guimpes and dresses for children and very smart blouses for women.

3. A kind of short chemisette or yoke insert made of lace, embroidery, or the like, worn with a low-necked dress.
4. A wimple; a wide, stiffly starched cloth that covers the neck and shoulders, as part of the habit of nuns of certain orders.
   • 1997, Don DeLillo, Underworld:

     All the nuns at the convent wore plain blouses and skirts except for Sister Edgar, who had permission from the motherhouse to fit herself out in the old things with the arcane names, the wimple, cincture and guimpe.

French

Etymology

Inherited from Middle French guimpe, from Old French guimple (“wimple”), from Frankish *wimpil, *wimpila (“head scarf”), from Proto-Germanic *wimpilaz, from *wīpaną ("to wind, sling, garland, swing"; from Proto-Indo-European *wimb-, *weyb- (“to turn, rotate”)) + Proto-Germanic *-ilaz (instrumental suffix). Cognate with Old High German wimpal and winfila (“head scarf”), Middle Dutch wumpel (“cap”), Old English wimpel, winpel (“wimple”), Old Norse vimpill (“hood, veil”). Also influenced by Old French guimpre (“a kind of trimming”), from the same Germanic source.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ɡɛ̃p/

• Audio:

  (file)

Noun

guimpe f (plural guimpes)

1. (religion) wimple
2. chemisette (UK), dickey (US)

Further reading

• “guimpe”, in Trésor de la langue française informatisé [Digitized Treasury of the French Language], 2012.