えい【襟・衿】 : ei | define meaning

Cognate to standard Japanese えり【襟・衿】 eri "collar". Likely from へり【縁】 heri "edge, rim".

Historical attestations:

• A Japanese and English Dictionary: With an English and Japanese Index (1867), by James Curtis Hepburn, records "Yeri, エリ, 襟, n. The collar of a coat".
• 新譯和英辭典 (1909), by Jukichi Inouye, records "Eri (襟), n. (1) The neck-band. (2) The neck. (3) The collar.".
• 鹿児島語と普通語 訂補6版 (1915) records "「えい」「えり」「襟」".
• Transactions The Asiatic Society Of Japan Vol.43 Pt.2 (1915), by Truebner, records "ei, collar".