fez

Where does the word "fez" come from? It comes from Arabic Fez, passing through Turkish and French before entering English (1802).

Fez’s story begins in Arabic: Fez meant “city name.” The Moroccan city where the tasseled felt cap was traditionally manufactured. By 1802, the word had taken hold in Turkish as fes. Sultan Mahmud II made the cap part of official Ottoman dress. From there it passed into French as fez by 1802. Adopted the Turkish name for the hat. It reached English by 1802 as fez. Entered English following the hat's Ottoman fame. Today, fez means a flat-topped, conical red felt cap with a tassel, traditionally worn by men in the eastern Mediterranean.

1. Stage 1 · Arabic · medieval Fez "city name", the Moroccan city where the tasseled felt cap was traditionally manufactured.
2. Stage 2 · Turkish · 1802 fes "brimless felt cap", Sultan Mahmud II made the cap part of official Ottoman dress.
3. Stage 3 · French · 1802 fez "tasseled cap", adopted the Turkish name for the hat.
4. Stage 4 · English · 1802 fez "flat-topped tasseled hat", entered English following the hat's Ottoman fame.