Skivvies (1918)

[Douglas G. Wilson]

>The etymology remains unknown. Theories?

I've been thinking about this for a few years. Theories are plentiful and
cheap. None is verifiable AFAIK.

A different "skivvy" -- meaning essentially "whore" -- as in Vietnam-era
"skivvy house", "skivvy girl", etc. -- is pretty clearly a reflex of
Japanese "sukebe[i]" = "lecher[ous]", dating from 1945-1950, although the
exact semantic development is not clear to me. The now-obsolete "Skibby"
(derogatory for any Japanese) apparently evolved from "skibby" = "Japanese
prostitute" on the US West Coast ca. 1910 ... apparently also derived
(independently?) from Japanese "sukebe[i]". Was the US Navy underwear
perceived as "Japanese" in some way, or reminiscent of Japanese
prostitutes? Maybe, but the connection escapes me at this time; various
scenarios and etymythologies are available as always.

There is another "skivvy", perhaps entirely unrelated, mostly UK (or non-US
anyway), meaning "maid" or "menial worker". Sometimes this is said to be
originally an alteration of the synonymous "slavey", but this alteration
seems far from natural. Any idea as to the etymology of THIS word, anybody?

-- Doug Wilson