seersucker (English)

Where does "seersucker" come from?

The English word 'seersucker' entered the language from Hindi 'śīrśakkar'[1]. That term traces back to the Persian phrase 'šir o šekar', which literally translates to 'milk and sugar'[1]. In Persian, this vivid phrase poetically characterized the contrasting texture of the fabric stripes, likening the smooth ridges to 'milk' and the crinkled or rough stripes to 'sugar'[1]. The phrase was subsequently modified by folk etymology into the familiar English textile name[1].

Full etymology tree

• seersucker (English), 'A thin, all-cotton fabric, commonly striped, used to make clothing for summer wear.'
  • borrowed शीरशक्कर (śīrśakkar) (Hindi)
    • derived شیر و شکر (šir o šekar) (Persian)

Descendants and derived words

• Seersucker (German)

Sources

1. seersucker (English) - Wiktionary

Updated October 2026

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Etymology data from Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0 · About Miraris