مانتو

Persian

Etymology

Borrowed from French manteau during the Qajar period. The current usage originated in the 1970s.

Pronunciation

Readings
Iranian reading? mânto

Noun

مانتو • (mânto) (plural مانتوها)

  1. (Iran) a woman’s coat or upper garment that can be worn in public without a chador (see usage note below)
  2. (Iran, archaic) other kinds of coats

Usage notes

  • In the 1970s, ماتنو referred to a loose-fitting coat based off the trenchcoat, in plain colours, typically worn with a square Arabic-style hijab. It was a politico-religious statement by young, educated women, mostly devoted to ideals of modern, left-leaning Islamism.
  • Since the Iranian revolution, the word has taken on a broader meaning as many Iranian women are trying to compromise with the country’s mandatory hijab laws. مانتوها may now be more tight-fitting, shorter and/or colourful. At times they are more comparable to overblouses than coats.

See also

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