baguette

Where does the word "baguette" come from? It comes from Italian bacchetta, passing through French before entering English (1930s).

Baguette’s story begins in Italian: bacchetta meant “a small stick.” A small stick or rod, a diminutive of bacchio (stick). By 1900s, the word had taken hold in French as baguette. Settled in French for the long, thin loaf of crusty bread. It reached English by 1930s as baguette. The long loaf became standard in Paris in the 1920s; a baguette was also a narrow gem cut. Today, baguette means a long, thin loaf of crusty French bread.

1. Stage 1 · Italian · medieval bacchetta "a small stick", a small stick or rod, a diminutive of bacchio (stick).
2. Stage 2 · French · 1900s baguette "a long, thin loaf of French bread", settled in French for the long, thin loaf of crusty bread.
3. Stage 3 · English · 1930s baguette "a long, thin loaf of crusty French bread", the long loaf became standard in Paris in the 1920s; a baguette was also a narrow gem cut.