silk
/sɪlk/
noun
Origin
Greek
Sēres — the people of eastern Asia (Chinese), from whom the Greeks first obtained silk
Overview
Meaning Now
- A fine, strong, soft, lustrous fiber produced by silkworms in making cocoons and collected to make thread and fabric.
- A garment or fabric made from such fiber.
Language path
Greek → Latin → West Germanic → Old English → Modern English
Earliest form
seolc
Earliest period
10th century
Journey
The word reached English through trade routes from the Far East. The Greeks referred to the Chinese as 'Sēres' (people of the silk), which likely originated from a Chinese term for the material. The word evolved through various Germanic dialects before entering Old English, reflecting the prestige and luxury associated with the imported fabric.
Evolution
- Ancient Greek
sērikós
“silken”
- Latin
sēricum
“silk fabric”
- West Germanic
*sīlik-
“silk”
Early borrowing from Latin
- Old English
seolc
“silk”
- Middle English
silk
“silk”
Connections
Word parts
silk
root
silk
Related across languages
Old Norse
silki
silk
Old High German
silacho
silk
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External references use DefinedTerm semantics.