Fly as in what birds and aeroplanes do, fly as in the insects, or fly as in “your fly is down”?
edit: I mean the word fly (as in its use in language), not the act of flying!
The term “fly” in the context of pants riginates from the Old English word “flowan,” meaning to flow. It refers to the piece of fabric that covers the zipper, not the zipper itself. The term gained popularity in the 19th century when tailors began using it to describe a flap of cloth attached at one end to cover an opening in a garment. This usage was particularly noted for its association with the right side of men’s trousers, distinguishing it from women’s garments, which may have different openings
edit =from the interwebs, not my words
I’ll bet you this also has something to do with the terminology for the rain fly on a tent, most of which have the same kind of flap covering the zippers and/or openings.
Most rain flies don’t have zippers, though. They’re basically the tent’s umbrella.
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