cotton

Overview

Meaning Now

• A soft, white fibrous substance that surrounds the seeds of a tropical and subtropical plant and is used as textile fiber and thread.
• The plant that produces this fiber, belonging to the genus Gossypium.

Journey

The word entered English via Old French, tracing back to the Arabic word 'qutn'. It became a major trade commodity during the Middle Ages, often imported to Europe from the Levant. The term 'cotton' was historically used for various soft fibers before specifically denoting the product of the Gossypium plant.

Evolution

1. Classical Arabic

   qutn

   “cotton”

2. Old Spanish

   al-qutn

   “the cotton”

   Transition through Moorish Spain

3. Old French

   coton

   “cotton”

4. Middle English

   cotoun

   “cotton”

Connections

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