cone

Where does the word "cone" come from? It comes from Greek konos, and was adopted directly into English (1560s).

Cone’s story begins in Greek: konos meant “a pine cone, a peak.” A pine cone, or a peak, a pointed shape. It reached English by 1560s as cone. Settled as the geometric word for a shape tapering to a point. Today, cone means a three-dimensional shape that tapers smoothly from a circular base to a point.

1. Stage 1 · Greek · ancient konos "a pine cone, a peak", a pine cone, or a peak, a pointed shape.
2. Stage 2 · English · 1560s cone "a shape that tapers from a round base to a point", settled as the geometric word for a shape tapering to a point.