balaclava
/ˌbaləˈklɑːvə
/(also balaclava helmet)
noun chiefly British
A close-fitting garment covering the whole head and neck except for parts of the face, typically made of wool.They were all wearing balaclavas, dark close-fitting clothes and short bomber-style jackets....
- The man with the gun, clad from head to toe in black clothing and wearing a balaclava underneath the hood of his coat, asked for money.
- I suppose it could have been some sort of hat rather than a balaclava.
Origin
Late 19th century (worn originally by soldiers on active service in the Crimean War): named after the port of Balaclava in the Crimea (see Balaclava, Battle of).
A balaclava was first a type of woollen covering for the head and neck worn by soldiers on active service in the Crimean War (1854), and was named after the village of Balaclava in the Crimea.