General
leatherneck
What does leatherneck mean?
Classic nickname for a US Marine, dating to the late 1700s when Marines wore a stiff leather neck-stock as part of the uniform — both to enforce upright bearing and to protect the throat from cutlass slashes in boarding actions. The leather collar is gone but the name stuck for over two centuries. 'Leatherneck' is also the title of the Corps' long-running magazine, founded 1917.
"The leathernecks held the perimeter for three days before relief got through."
Origin
Late 18th-century US Marines, from the leather stock worn around the neck as part of the dress uniform from 1798 to 1872.
Frequently asked questions
What does leatherneck mean?
Leatherneck is a nickname for a US Marine.
Where does the term leatherneck come from?
It comes from the leather neck-stock worn as part of the early US Marine Corps uniform.
How do you use leatherneck in a sentence?
For example: "My grandfather was a leatherneck in the Pacific."
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