cotton | Search Online Etymology Dictionary

63 entries found.

1851, soft wares, "woolen or cotton fabrics," also, "relatively perishable consumer goods," from soft + ware (n.). The computer sense is a separate coinage from 1960, based on hardware.

ear-plug (n.)

also earplug, "piece of wax, rubber, cotton, etc., inserted in the ear as protection against noise or water," 1841, from ear (n.1) + plug (n.).

oil-cloth (n.)

also oilcloth, 1690s, "cotton or a similar fabric waterproofed with oil," from oil (n.) + cloth. In reference to an oil-treated canvas used as a cheap floor covering, 1796.

fustian (n.)

"thick cotton cloth," c. 1200, from Old French fustaigne, fustagne (12c., Modern French futaine), from Medieval Latin fustaneum, perhaps from Latin fustis "staff, stick of wood; cudgel, club" (see fustigate) as a loan-translation of Greek xylina lina "linens of wood" (i.e. "cotton"). But the Medieval Latin word also is sometimes said to be from Fostat, town near Cairo where this cloth was manufactured. [Klein finds this derivation untenable.] Figurative sense of "pompous, inflated language" recorded by 1590s.

tampon (n.)

"plug of cotton to stanch a flow of blood (especially from the vagina)," 1848, from French tampon, originally "plug" (see tampion). Tampax, proprietary name registered in U.S. 1932, is based on tampon.

dungaree (n.)

"A coarse cotton stuff, generally blue, worn by sailors" [Century Dictionary, 1897], 1610s, dongerijns, from Hindi dungri "coarse calico," said to be from the name of a village, now one of the quarters of Bombay. Dungarees "trousers made of dungaree" is by 1868.

truck (v.2)

"to convey on a truck," 1809, from truck (n.). Verbal meaning "dance, move in a cool way," first attested 1935, from popular dance of that name in U.S., supposedly introduced at Cotton Club, 1933. Related: Trucked; trucking.

cretonne (n.)

"cotton cloth with various textures of surface," 1863 (Godey's, in the November edition, where it is presented as a new material, "of French make, and resembling alpaca"), from French cretonne (1723), supposedly from Creton, village in Normandy where it originally was made.

lawn (n.2)

"thin linen or cotton cloth," early 15c., probably from Laon, city in northern France, a center of linen manufacture. The town name is Old French Lan, from Latin Laudunum, of Celtic origin. For form evolution, compare fawn (n.) from faon. Lawn sleeves (1630s) were emblematic of Anglican bishops.

duck (n.2)

"strong, untwilled linen (later cotton) fabric," used for sails and sailors' clothing, 1630s, from Dutch doeck "linen cloth" (Middle Dutch doec), from Proto-Germanic *dōkaz, a word of uncertain etymology (source also of German Tuch "piece of cloth," Danish dug, Old Frisian dok, Old High German tuoh).

Page 3

Trending words