A Straight Dope Classic from Cecil's Storehouse of Human Knowledge
What's the origin of the word "denim"?
June 16, 1989
Dear Cecil:
I've heard the fabric we know as denim originated in a French town called Neise but pronounced Nen, hence "de Nen," or denim. True?
Cecil replies:
No, but you're in the ballpark, which is about all we can hope for these days. Denim was originally known as serge de Nimes, pronounced "neem," Nimes being the French town where the stuff was first made.
