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Where does the word "chalet" come from? It comes from Latin casa, passing through French before entering English (1750s).
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Where does the word "chalet" come from? It comes from Latin casa, passing through French before entering English (1750s).
Chalet’s story begins in Latin: casa meant “hut, cottage.” The root of Italian 'casa', house. By 1700s, the word had taken hold in French as chalet. A Swiss French dialect word. It reached English by 1750s as chalet. Rousseau's novels made chalets fashionable. Today, chalet means a wooden house with overhanging eaves.
- Stage 1 · Latin · ancient casa "hut, cottage", the root of Italian 'casa', house.
- Stage 2 · French · 1700s chalet "herdsman's hut", a Swiss French dialect word.
- Stage 3 · English · 1750s chalet "Swiss hut", Rousseau's novels made chalets fashionable.