A Suit of Clothes Is Named for Matching, Not for Style
A suit is a set of matching garments. The word means things that follow one another.
A suit is a set of matching garments, a class of playing cards, or a legal action. All three come from Latin *sequi*, to follow: a suit of clothes is pieces that follow one another in cloth, a suit of cards is a set following one another in rank, and a lawsuit is a following-up of a claim. The connection is matching and succession, not fashion. That is also why *to follow suit* in cards means playing the same suit, and why *suitable* means fitting the case.
- A set of clothes. *A grey suit.*
- A card class. *The suit of hearts.*
- A legal action. *A lawsuit.*
- To be fitting. *That suits you.*
- Latin — *sequi*, to follow. *The root.*
Word forms
| Form | Word | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Noun | suit | A suit. |
| Verb | suit | Suiting. |
| Adjective | suitable | Suitable. |
| Related | sequence | A sequence. |
| Latin | sequi | To follow. |
- He wore a dark suit.Clothing.
- Follow suit if you can.Cards.
- They filed a suit.Law.
Why card suits differ by country
- French suits — hearts, diamonds, clubs, spades, now international
- German suits — hearts, bells, acorns, leaves
- Italian and Spanish — cups, coins, clubs, swords
- French symbols won because they were simple to stencil
- Cheap printing decided the global standard
Old French *suite*, from Latin *sequi*, to follow.
Why is a set of clothes called a suit?
Because the pieces match and follow one another, from a Latin verb meaning to follow.
Why are the standard card suits French?
Their simple shapes were cheap to stencil, so French designs displaced the German, Italian and Spanish systems.