It looks like one of those “vague, unsure” ones, it’s perhaps too old a word, and with too many vague, possible sources.
Some bits of dictionaries suggest various etymologies - it likely drifted from words in Gaelic, Scots, Arabic and French, like “jupe”, “jump”, “juppe” “jubbe” and so on, which tended to mean things like “smock”, “jacket” or whatever. It’s been around in English for various clothing types for a few hundred years, and referred specifically to the woollen pullover thing from the picture above for 100-150 years.
What does a sweater have to do with jumping?
Hint: you are in a UK focused community.
Yes and I am demanding explanations.
Only if Americans can explain why they cannot pronounce a simple four-letter word correctly.
Okay pronunciation complaints coming from your half of the water are hilarious. Keep them coming.
Edit: Like give me some examples here!
Aluminium
Herb
Data
Basil
Tomato
Vase
Iran
Graham
Mobile
Twat
Horror
Asthma
Advertisement
Schedule
The fucking letter Z
Craig
The name Bernard
Barn-ard Bonn
What does a jumper have to do with sweating?
Well you sweat when jumping for one thing.
This is true - especially if you were wearing a thick woolly jumper whilst doing it.
The lack of logical explanations for why it’s called a jumper are deafening.
It looks like one of those “vague, unsure” ones, it’s perhaps too old a word, and with too many vague, possible sources.
Some bits of dictionaries suggest various etymologies - it likely drifted from words in Gaelic, Scots, Arabic and French, like “jupe”, “jump”, “juppe” “jubbe” and so on, which tended to mean things like “smock”, “jacket” or whatever. It’s been around in English for various clothing types for a few hundred years, and referred specifically to the woollen pullover thing from the picture above for 100-150 years.
It has no relation at all to jump as in “leap”.
Also, and worthy of note, it rhymes with “bumper”, which is important if you want to say something like:
“Dancing at the disco, bumper to bumper. Wait a minute! Where’s me jumper?” (Youtube link)