Muff
A muff is a tube made of fur or other warm material into which the hands are placed for warmth.[1]
They are rarely used today. Changes in fashion might be one reason. Also, vehicles which transport people today are usually heated.
History
In Roman times, the place of the glove was taken by long sleeves (manicae) reaching to the hand, and in winter special sleeves of fur were worn. In Medieval Latin we find the word muffulae, defined by Du Cange as chirothecae pellitae et hibernae ("leather winter gloves"). He quotes from a cartulary of the year 817, of the issuing to monks of sheepskin coverings to be used during the winter. These may have been, as the Roman certainly were, separate coverings for each hand, although the cartulary referred to also tells apart the glove for summer from the muffulae for winter wear. The Old French moufle meant a thick glove or mitten, and from this the Dutch mof, Walloon mouffe, and from that time, English "muff", are probably made from.[2]
References
- ↑ Chisholm, Hugh, ed. 1911. "Muff", in Encyclopædia Britannica. 18 (11th ed). Cambridge University Press, p955.
- ↑ Chisholm 1911, p. 955.
