Gayumbos, underpants... what are they called in each place?

Although Spanish is spoken in many parts of the world, each region has its own unique characteristics, defined by words and expressions. For example, we find several words used to describe men's underwear: gayumbos , calzoncillos, or calzones. Where is each of them used? Is one more correct than the other? Let's look at the answers to these and other questions and learn more about the origins of these terms.

The origin of the word gayumbos

The first time this word was used to refer to men's underwear was in 1905 , when it was documented in the Diccionario del slang español (Spanish Slang Dictionary ). This book, at the time, compiled the most colloquial and casual words used to refer to certain items or objects, as well as adjectives and greetings. And the RAE (Royal Spanish Academy)? Does it have anything to say about the word gayumbos? The RAE included it in its latest edition, in 2014. A note attached to the word specifies that its origin is uncertain and its origins are unknown. Some claim that the term may be derived from the word "gayomba ," which refers to a leguminous shrub more commonly known as "retama de olor." This plant has yellow flowers that give off an unpleasant odor. Apparently, the term "gayumbos" began to be used ironically to refer to the unpleasant aroma that underwear can give off if proper hygiene is not maintained. Whatever the case, the truth is that the word gayumbos is widely used today, especially in Spain, to refer to underwear. It's possible that you might not be familiar with this term in Latin America, as they use their own. gayumbos y otros nombres para calzoncillos

gayumbos y otros nombres para calzoncillos

Other ways of referring to underwear

There's no doubt that the term "underpants" is the most commonly used term to refer to men's underwear today. Furthermore, it's the only one used in a formal context, while others are more colloquial (such as "gayumbos"). But where does this word come from? To find its etymological origin, we need to do a little research into the root of this term:

Chalcis. The Romans referred to the heel by several terms, including chalcis, although they all came from the same root.
Calceus . This was a word that came from the same root and defined the garment that fitted the foot, the shoe.
Stockings. When they first started wearing stockings, they were called stockings. Over time, stockings covered from the feet to the waist, until some time later they were divided into two parts.
Socks. One of the parts into which calves were divided covered the calf and feet, giving rise to the term socks.
Underpants. The other part covered the abdomen and buttocks and became known as calzones. As the size of this garment decreased, the diminutive "illo" was added, hence the word "calzoncillo."

What other names are there for this men's underwear? Depending on our latitude, we'll find different terms referring to boxer shorts:

Calzón . This word is used in different areas of South America and Guatemala to refer to underwear.
" Trusa ." It's curious that this word is used in different parts of the world to describe similar garments. For example, in Cuba and the Dominican Republic, it refers to swimsuits, in Mexico, to boxer shorts, and in Peru, it's used for both men's and women's underwear. Curious, isn't it?
Bombacho . This is the name given to underpants in countries like Argentina, Brazil, and Paraguay.

We've already seen that there's more to men's underwear than gayumbos (underpants) and calzoncillos (pantyhose) , even though they're the most commonly used in Spain. Each region has its own way of defining men's underwear. What do you prefer to call it?