When it comes to fictional ships, the H.M.S. Pinafore is among the most musical, and is the setting for Gilbert and Sullivan's play of the same name. What is a pinafore?

In typical comical fashion, Gilbert and Sullivan named their warship in the play after a woman's garment, a kind of sleeveless apron or dress. The name refers to the fact that a pinafore was formerly pinned to the front of a dress, hence "pina" and "fore".

Asked by Tom Cohen · Last updated 5 years ago · 2.5K views