| An umbrella or parasol (sometimes colloquially,
gamp, brolly, or bumbershoot) is a canopy designed to protect against precipitation
or sunlight. The term parasol usually refers to an item designed to protect
from the sun, and umbrella refers to a device more suited to protect from
rain. Often the difference is the material; some parasols are not waterproof.
Parasols are often meant to be fixed to one point and often used with patio
tables or other outdoor furniture, or for shelter from the sun. Umbrellas
are almost exclusively hand-held portable devices; however, parasols can
also be hand-held. Umbrellas can be held as fashion statements in the twenty
first century for some men and women and are sometimes seen as simple accessories
that complete an outfit.
The word umbrella is from the Latin
word umbra, which in turn derives from the Ancient Greek ómbros.
Its meaning is shade or shadow. Brolly is a slang word for umbrella, used
often in Britain, New Zealand and Australia. Bumbershoot is a fanciful
Americanism from the late 19th century. |
