"sturdy cloth made from hemp or flax," mid-14c., from Anglo-French canevaz, Old North French canevach, Old French chanevaz "canvas," literally "made of hemp, hempen," noun use of Vulgar Latin adjective *cannapaceus "made of hemp," from Latin cannabis, from Greek kannabis "hemp," a Scythian or Thracian word (see cannabis).

Latin adjectives in -aceus sometimes were made in Romanic languages into nouns of augmentative or pejorative force. Especially as a surface for oil paintings from c. 1700; hence "an oil painting" (1764).

c. 1300, "portable shelter of skins or coarse cloth stretched over poles," from Old French tente "tent, hanging, tapestry" (12c.), from Medieval Latin tenta "a tent," literally "something stretched out," noun use of fem. singular of Latin tentus "stretched," variant past participle of tendere "to stretch" (from PIE root *ten- "to stretch"). The notion is of "stretching" hides over a framework. Tent-caterpillar so caled by 1854, from the tent-like silken webs in which they live gregariously.

"to camp in a tent," 1856, from tent (n.). Earlier "to pitch a tent" (1550s). Related: Tented; tenting.

"open to many sorts, not ideologically or theologically narrow," American English, by 1982 with reference to religion, by 1987 with reference to politics.

also canvasback, 1785 as a type of North American duck, so called for the color of the back. Earlier as an adjective for a type of garment made of expensive stuff in front and cheap canvas in the back (c. 1600); from canvas (n.) + back (n.).

"one who occupies the same tent," 1842, from Latin contubernalis "tent-companion, comrade," noun use of adjective, from assimilated form of com "with, together" (see con-) + taberna "hut, tent" (see tavern).

"one who dwells in a tent," c. 1600, from Latin scenites, from Greek skēnitēs, from skēnē "tent" (see scene (n.)).

c. 1500, "toss in a canvas sheet," from alternative spelling of canvas (n.). From "toss in a canvas sheet for the purpose of sifting" the meaning was extended figuratively to "shake out, examine carefully" (1520s). From thence (though the image in the sense-shift is less clear) to "solicit votes or test support before an election" (1550s). Compare Old French canabasser "to examine carefully," literally "to sift through canvas." The spelling with a double -s- dates from 16c. and is useful to distinguish it from the other word. Related: Canvassed; canvassing. As a noun, "a soliciting of votes or testing of support," from c. 1610s.

early 13c., paviloun, "large, stately tent raised on posts and used as a movable habitation," from Old French paveillon "large tent; butterfly" (12c.), from Latin papilionem (nominative papilio) "butterfly, moth," in Medieval Latin "tent" (see papillon); the type of tent was so called on its resemblance to wings. Meaning "open building in a park, etc., used for shelter or entertainment" is attested from 1680s. Sense of "small or moderate-sized building, isolated but dependent on a larger or principal building" (as in a hospital) is by 1858.

"hemp or cotton canvas used in making ships' sails," c. 1200, from sail (n.) + cloth (n.).