'swimwear' originates from the combination of 'swim' and 'wear', where 'swim' refers to the act of moving through water and 'wear' refers to clothing.

'swimwear' evolved from the need for specialized clothing for swimming activities, becoming a distinct category of clothing in the 20th century.

Initially, it referred to any clothing worn for swimming, but over time it evolved to include a variety of styles and designs specifically for swimming.