'outerwear' originates from English, specifically the compound of 'outer' and 'wear', where 'outer' is the comparative/adjectival form related to 'out' meaning 'outside' and 'wear' meant 'to have on (clothing)'.

'outer' developed from Old English elements related to 'ūt' (out) and comparative formations, while 'wear' comes from Old English 'werian'/'wǣran' meaning 'to wear'; the compound 'outerwear' arose in modern English to denote garments worn on the outside.

Initially the elements separately meant 'more outside' (outer) and 'to put on clothes' (wear); over time the compound came to mean specifically 'clothing worn over other clothes for protection or warmth'.