balaclava
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balaclava¹
- /ˌbæl.əˈklɑː.və/ UK, US
- /ˌbɑː.ləˈklɑː.və/ UK, US
Rhymes with -ɑːvə
Where it comes from
From the city of Balaklava in Crimea, from Ottoman Turkish بالقلاوه (modern Turkish balıklava), alteration of بالقلاغه (balıklaga, “fishing ground”). During the Crimean War the British troops suffered from cold due to improper clothing. When the news spread in the home front after the Battle of Balaclava in 1854, the people began knitting warm clothing for the soldiers, including woollen caps to be worn under the helmet, which were named balaclavas by the troops.
noun balaclavas
- A type of warm headgear covering the neck, head, and often part of the face, with apertures left as necessary, often made out of wool.
- A ski mask with holes for the eyes and, sometimes, the nose and mouth, which may be rolled up and worn like a toque or pulled over the face for greater protection. George Ronald Waite, 33, known as Balaclava Bill because of the dark blue woollen hood he wore while robbing seven banks of $46,200 over the past two years, was sentenced yesterday to 15 years in Kingston Penitentiary.
Balaclava²
- /ˌbæl.əˈklɑːvə/
Where it comes from
From Balaklava, from Russian Балакла́ва (Balakláva), from Ottoman Turkish بالقلاوه (balıklava), from بالقلاغه (balıklaga, “fishing ground”)
* (Jamaica): From Balaklava or the Battle of Balaclava.
proper noun
- A town in St. Elizabeth parish, Jamaica.
- A locality in the Wingecarribee council area, south eastern New South Wales, Australia.
- A suburb of the City of Port Phillip, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
- Alternative spelling of Balaklava
Translations
Every language
noun headgear
| Español | pasamontañas, papahígo |
|---|---|
| 한국어 | 발라클라바 ballakeullaba |
| 日本語 | 目出し帽, バラクラバ barakuraba, バラクラヴァ barakurava |
| 中文 | 巴拉克拉瓦 bālākèlāwǎ, 頭套 /头套 tóutào |
| Português | balaclava |
| Français | passe-montagne, cagoule |
| Deutsch | Sturmhaube, Sturmmaske, Skimaske, Biwakmütze, Balaklava |
| Italiano | passamontagna, balaclava, balaklava |
| Ελληνικά | κουκούλα koukoúla |
| Română | cagulă |
| Русский | балакла́ва balakláva, вя́заный шлем vjázanyj šlem |
| العربية | نَسِيج صُوفِيّ nasīj ṣūfiyy, بَالَاكْلَافَا bālāklāfā |
| עברית | בַּרְדָּס bardás, בלקלאווה balakláva |
Talk about this word "balaclava." Wiktionary, via Micwyn, micwyn.com/word/balaclava. Accessed 6 Nov. 2026. balaclava. (n.d.). In Wiktionary, via Micwyn. Retrieved November 6, 2026, from https://micwyn.com/word/balaclava "balaclava." Wiktionary, via Micwyn. Accessed November 6, 2026. https://micwyn.com/word/balaclava.Cite this
@misc{balaclava_2026,
title = {balaclava},
howpublished = {Wiktionary, via Micwyn},
year = {2026},
url = {https://micwyn.com/word/balaclava},
urldate = {2026-11-06}
}
