Etymology

Uncertain, but probably from a Slavic language; cf. Slovene srajca ‎(“shirt”). When entering Romanian, it may have been taken as a diminutive (cf. the form străiță), and then later arrived at its actual form. Compare Aromanian stranj, stranjiu ‎(“clothing, garment”), which may or may not be a different word (cf. however, Serbo-Croatian tranja ‎(“rag, tatter”), which may have influenced it). Alternative etymologies proposed include a Vulgar Latin root *sternium or Latin stramen ‎(“litter”). See also Friulian straie ‎(“bed or layer of straw for a flock”), which may have a Slovene root as well, although it has also been attributed to Latin stragulus.^[1]