bumbershoot
Americannoun
Etymology
Origin of bumbershoot
First recorded in 1895–1900; bumber-, a facetious alteration of umbrella + -shoot, respelling of -chute in parachute
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
I hypothesize that bumbershoot became a faux Britishism because of a confluence of factors.
From Slate ● Nov. 4, 2011
In my recent article about Americans using more Britishisms, I wondered aloud, "Why have we adopted laddish while we didn't adopt telly or bumbershoot?"
From Slate ● Nov. 4, 2011
A book published that year, War Propaganda and U.S., noted: "To many upper-class Americans there was nothing so thrilling as having an Englishman around the house, complete with Oxford accent, school tie, and bumbershoot."
From Slate ● Nov. 4, 2011
Author Duggan seems to suggest that, given a bowler and bumbershoot to go with his tidy, official face, Felix might patter along Downing Street without winning a second glance.
From Time Magazine Archive
To the men, he shrugged and joked, “One must stay a step ahead of the weather. Wouldn’t do to be caught in the rain without a bumbershoot, what?”
From "The Hidden Gallery" by Maryrose Wood
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
