Wrong about the Trousers

When I puzzle over words I mostly limit myself to languages with which I have some familiarity.  English of course.  German.  Latin and by extension, Italian.  Sometimes Spanish is on the periphery.  But French is just beyond my range.  Sure it is an offshoot in some ways of Latin, but its quirky.

Many years ago I ran across the word "Trou" in association with a discussion of underground fortifications.  As it was a pet name for the Maginot Line I guessed that it meant, approximately, "trench".  Close, but no cigar.

Trou translates best to "hole".   

OK then, clearly trousers comes from this word.  You put them on one leg at at time, putting said leg effectively into a hole.  Wrong again.

Trousers is actually an old Irish word.  It goes back to "Tribhas", a word of uncertain origins.  It went through a few changes in the 1500's resulting in its first known written appearance. 

 "A jellous wife was like an Irish trouze, alwayes close to a mans tayle" [1630]. 

Not exactly politically correct by current standards.  The addition of an r near the end was in line with similar sorts of words such as "drawers".

Well don't I feel a bit dim in this matter.  Although not in comparison to an Academy Award winning character who was even more confused about trousers back in 1993.  Thanks Wallace, for many happy viewings with my then young children.