Saturday 20 February 2016

Word Origins of Some Textile Terms



Cotton

Cotton originated in Arbic qutn, the name for cotton plant.

Silk

Word silk originated in Chinese si. Greek called Silk traders Seres, "silk people". This is the origin of the words like Sericulture and Serge. 

However, the 'l' rather than an 'r' came through Russian Shelk.

Linen

The word comes from old Germanic "lin" meaning "Flax"which is an origin of the words such as linseed.

It has contributed to other words such as Lingerie, crinoline, linoleum and lint. 

Wool

It came from Indo-European "wlna". the word flannel is related to it.

Source: Bloomsbury Dictionary of Word Origins by John Ayto.

Spinning

Spin comes from Indo-European Base "spen" which means to stretch. The logic seems to make sense as spinning essentially involves stretching or drafting of a strand of fibers.

The words span, spinster, spider, spill and spindle are related to it.

Weaving

The origin is from Germanic "Weben"- to weave. This is the source of the words wafter, wasp, web and weft. 

Dyeing

The source of this word remain unknown.

Printing

The origin comes from Latin "premere" meant press. The words impression are related to it.

Bleaching

The origin comes from Germanic base "blaik-"means to whiten. The words blight and blink are related to it.

Textile

Latin texere means to "weave" which came from Indo European base "tek-" to make. It is the origin of the words text, context, pretext, subtle, texture, tissue and toilet, technical and architect.

Cloth

The history of the word cloth is Germanic "kleid"- means garment.

Fabric 

The word fabric is related to carpenter. The origin is the word "Faber" which means a carpenter. Other related words are fabricate and forge.

Apparel

It has the same source as apparatus, which came from apparare "make ready". The other related words are parent and prepare.

Yarn

The root came from prehistoric German "garn" which is originated from Greek "Khorde"- sting. The other related words are chord and cord. 

Fashion

The word came from Latin factio "make" or "do". The words related to it are difficult, fact, faction and factory. 

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