carpet

Where does the word "carpet" come from? It comes from Latin carpere, passing through Old French before entering English (1300s).

Carpet’s story begins in Latin: carpere meant “to pluck, card wool.” Plucked or unravelled wool. By medieval, the word had taken hold in Old French as carpite. Via Old Italian 'carpita', a thick woollen cloth. It reached English by 1300s as carpet. Only in the 1700s did carpets move to the floor. Today, carpet means a thick woven floor covering.

1. Stage 1 · Latin · ancient carpere "to pluck, card wool", plucked or unravelled wool.
2. Stage 2 · Old French · medieval carpite "coarse cloth", via Old Italian 'carpita', a thick woollen cloth.
3. Stage 3 · English · 1300s carpet "a table or bed cover", only in the 1700s did carpets move to the floor.