camisado

noun

cam·i·sa·do ˌka-mə-ˈsā-(ˌ)dō

-ˈsä-

plural camisadoes

archaic

: an attack by night

Word History

Etymology

probably borrowed from Middle French camisade (with suffix conformed to Spanish -ado, used in comparable words), borrowed from an Upper Italian outcome of Italian (Tuscan) camiciata "night attack, originally one in which the assailants wear white shirts over their armor as a means of recognition," from camicia "shirt" (going back to Late Latin camīsia) + -ata, suffix of action and result — more at chemise, -ade

First Known Use

1548, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler

The first known use of camisado was in 1548

See more words from the same year