Etymology, Origin And Meaning Of Phrase Ditty Bag By Etymonline

Home » What Is A Ditty Bag » Etymology, Origin And Meaning Of Phrase Ditty Bag By Etymonline

Maybe your like

AdvertisementRemove Ads

Want to remove ads? Log in to see fewer ads, and become a Premium Member to remove all ads.

Origin and history of ditty bag

ditty bag(n.)

"small bag used by sailors for needles, thread, scissors, thimble, etc.," 1828, nautical slang, of uncertain origin, perhaps from the alleged British naval phrase commodity bag. Hence also ditty-box (1841).

Every true man-of-war's man knows how to cut out clothing with as much ease, and producing as correct a fit, as the best tailor. This is a necessity on board ship, for the ready-made clothing procured of the purser is never known to fit, being generally manufactured several sizes larger than necessary, in order that it may be re-cut and made in good style. [Charles Nordhoff, "The Young Man-of-War's Man," 1866]

also from 1828

Advertisement

Want to remove ads? Log in to see fewer ads, and become a Premium Member to remove all ads.

Trends of ditty bag

adapted from books.google.com/ngrams/ with a 7-year moving average; ngrams are probably unreliable.

Share ditty bag

‘cite’Page URL:https://www.etymonline.com/word/ditty%20bagCopyHTML Link:<a href="https://www.etymonline.com/word/ditty%20bag">Etymology of ditty bag by etymonline</a>CopyAPA Style:Harper, D. (n.d.). Etymology of ditty bag. Online Etymology Dictionary. Retrieved January 20, 2026, from https://www.etymonline.com/word/ditty%20bagCopyChicago Style:Harper Douglas, "Etymology of ditty bag," Online Etymology Dictionary, accessed January 20, 2026, https://www.etymonline.com/word/ditty%20bag.CopyMLA Style:Harper, Douglas. "Etymology of ditty bag." Online Etymology Dictionary, https://www.etymonline.com/word/ditty%20bag. Accessed 20 January, 2026.CopyIEEE Style:D. Harper. "Etymology of ditty bag." Online Etymology Dictionary. https://www.etymonline.com/word/ditty%20bag (accessed January 20, 2026).CopyRemove AdsAdvertisement

Want to remove ads? Log in to see fewer ads, and become a Premium Member to remove all ads.

TrendingDictionary entries near ditty bag
  • ditheism
  • dither
  • dithyramb
  • ditto
  • ditty
  • ditty bag
  • ditzy
  • diuresis
  • diuretic
  • diurnal
  • diva
AdvertisementClose

Want to remove ads? Log in to see fewer ads, and become a Premium Member to remove all ads.

Want to remove ads? Log in to see fewer ads, and become a Premium Member to remove all ads.

CloseABCDEFGHIJKLMNOPQRSTUVWXYZ

Tag » What Is A Ditty Bag