The French origins of the word 'chamois'

'Chamois' is a word borrowed from French 'chamois'. The word entered the English language some time around 1560.

chamois [noun] [1560]

• a small goatlike bovid (Rupicapra rupicapra) of mountainous regions from southern Europe to the Caucasus
• a soft pliant leather prepared from the skin of the chamois or from sheepskin
• a cotton fabric made in imitation of chamois leather

See 'chamois' on the Loan Words Map

See more loan words from French.

note: The word chamois comes from French ultimately from Late Latin camox referring to the agile Alpine antelope; it entered English around the 1550s for the animal then the soft leather (made from its skin or similar) by the 1570s. Derived from an extinct Alpine language possibly Raetic or Ligurian related to crooked for its hooked horns.
Etymology: Middle French, from Late Latin 'camox'

See more loan words from 1500s.

Is 'tramontane' English, or is it actually Italian?

'Tramontane' is a word borrowed from Italian 'tramontana'. The word entered the English language some time around 1596.

tramontane [adjective] [1596]

• transalpine
• lying on or coming from the other side of a mountain range

See 'tramontane' on the Loan Words Map

See more loan words from Italian.

Etymology: Italian 'tramontano' from Latin 'transmontanus' from 'trans-' + 'mont-, mons' mountain

See more loan words from 1500s.

When you say 'tarantella' are you speaking Italian?

'Tarantella' is a word borrowed from Italian 'tarantella'. The word entered the English language some time around 1782.

tarantella [noun] [1782]

A lively folk dance of southern Italy in time

See 'tarantella' on the Loan Words Map

See more loan words from Italian.

Etymology: Italian, from 'Taranto' Italy

See more loan words from 1700s.

Did you know that 'paparazzi' is actually Italian?

'Paparazzi' is a word borrowed from Italian 'paparazzo'. The word entered the English language some time around 1961.

paparazzi [noun] [1961]

A freelance photographer who aggressively pursues celebrities for the purpose of taking candid photographs

See 'paparazzi' on the Loan Words Map

See more loan words from Italian.

Etymology: Italian, from 'Paparazzo' surname of such a photographer in the film 'La dolce vita' (1959) by Federico Fellini

See more loan words from 1960s.

French 'perrot' in the English language

'Parrot' is a word borrowed from French 'perrot'. The word entered the English language some time around 1525.

parrot [noun] [circa 1525]

• any of numerous widely distributed tropical birds (order Psittaciformes and especially family Psittacidae) that are oft...
• a person who sedulously echoes another's words

See 'parrot' on the Loan Words Map

See more loan words from French.

note: Probably from dialect French perrot diminutive of the male given name Pierre ‘Peter’. Compare with parakeet.
Etymology: Probably modification of Middle French 'perroquet'

See more loan words from 1500s.

Do you speak a little Japanese when you say 'wabi-sabi'?

'Wabi-sabi' is a word borrowed from Japanese 'wabi-sabi'.

wabi-sabi

(details not available)

See 'wabi-sabi' on the Loan Words Map

See more loan words from Japanese.

note: In traditional Japanese aesthetics wabi-sabi (侘び寂び) is centered on the acceptance of transience and imperfection.
Etymology: -

See more loan words from (unknown date).

The word 'topaz' is a loan word from Greek 'topazos'

'Topaz' is a word borrowed from Greek 'topazos'. The word entered the English language some time around the 13th century.

topaz [noun] [13th century]

• a mineral that is essentially a silicate of aluminum and usually occurs in orthorhombic translucent or transparent crys...
• a usually yellow to brownish-yellow transparent mineral topaz used as a gem
• a yellow sapphire
• a yellow quartz

See 'topaz' on the Loan Words Map

See more loan words from Greek.

Etymology: Middle English 'topace' from Anglo-French, from Latin 'topazus' from Greek 'topazos'

See more loan words from 1200s.

The Armenian roots of the word 'duduk'

'Duduk' is a word borrowed from Armenian 'duduk'.

duduk

(details not available)

See 'duduk' on the Loan Words Map

See more loan words from Armenian.

note: An 'apricot-made wind instrument' is a double reed woodwind instrument made of apricot wood originating from Armenia.
Etymology: -

See more loan words from (unknown date).

The word 'anecdote' originally came from Greek as 'anekdota'

'Anecdote' is a word borrowed from Greek 'anekdota'. The word entered the English language some time around 1686.

anecdote [noun] [1686]

A usually short narrative of an interesting, amusing, or biographical incident

See 'anecdote' on the Loan Words Map

See more loan words from Greek.

Etymology: French, from Greek 'anekdota' unpublished items, from neuter plural of 'anekdotos' unpublished, from 'a-' + 'ekdidonai' to publish, from 'ex' out + 'didonai' to give

See more loan words from 1600s.

When you say 'mirage' are you speaking French?

'Mirage' is a word borrowed from French 'mirage'. The word entered the English language some time around 1803.

mirage [noun] [1803]

• an optical effect that is sometimes seen at sea, in the desert, or over a hot pavement, that may have the appearance of...
• something illusory and unattainable like a mirage

See 'mirage' on the Loan Words Map

See more loan words from French.

note: From the French verb mirer meaning to look at which is a borrowing from the Latin mirari to wonder at. This root is also the origin of English words like admire miracle and marvel.
Etymology: French, from 'mirer' to look at, from Latin 'mirari'

See more loan words from 1800s.

Do you speak a little Japanese when you say 'origami'?

'Origami' is a word borrowed from Japanese 'orikami'. The word entered the English language some time around 1956.

origami [noun] [1956]

The Japanese art or process of folding squares of paper into representational shapes

See 'origami' on the Loan Words Map

See more loan words from Japanese.

Etymology: Japanese, from 'ori' fold + 'kami' paper

See more loan words from 1950s.

Is 'muesli' English, or is it actually German (Swiss)?

'Muesli' is a word borrowed from German (Swiss) 'Müesli'. The word entered the English language some time around 1939.

muesli [noun] [1939]

A breakfast cereal of Swiss origin consisting of rolled oats, nuts, and fruit

See 'muesli' on the Loan Words Map

See more loan words from German (Swiss).

Etymology: German dialect (Swiss) 'Müsli' diminutive of German 'Mus' soft food, mush, from Old High German 'muos;' akin to Old English 'mōs' food and probably to Old English 'mete' food

See more loan words from 1930s.

How the Latin language influenced English with the word 'cognate'

'Cognate' is a word borrowed from Latin 'cognatus'. The word entered the English language some time around 1645.

cognate [adjective] [circa 1645]

• of the same or similar nature
• generically alike
• related by blood
• related on the mother's side
• related by descent from the same ancestral language

See 'cognate' on the Loan Words Map

See more loan words from Latin.

note: Cognate (from Latin cognatus meaning blood-related) refers to words in different languages that share a common etymological (word origin) ancesto
Etymology: Latin 'cognatus' from 'co-' + 'gnatus, natus' past participle of 'nasci' to be born; akin to Latin 'gignere' to beget

See more loan words from 1600s.