- The term ‘dubs’ is probably a shortening of ‘doubles,’ which originated from the concept that twenty is two tens or double tens. ‘Dubs’ is used in other contexts to refer to the letter ‘W’ and to twenty dollars. Within the context of cars, the term ‘dubs’ has come to refer specifically to rims that are twenty inches in size.
dubs
noun; clipping
twenty-inch rims for a car tire
Etymology : The term ‘dubs’ probably originated as a shortening of the word ‘doubles.’ ‘Doubles’ comes from the Old French ‘duble’ meaning ‘double’ which comes from the Latin ‘duplus’ meaning ‘twofold.’ ‘Duplus’ meaning ‘two fold’ can be parsed into the morphemes ‘duo’ meaning ‘two’ and ‘plus’ meaning ‘fold.’
Source : ‘You should trick your car out and put some dubs on it.’ (conversation with a friend, September 2008)
Last modified: 4 December 2008