gauze

Where does the word "gauze" come from? It comes from Arabic Ghazza, passing through French before entering English (medieval).

Gauze’s story begins in Arabic: Ghazza meant “the city of Gaza.” The city of Gaza, a noted center of fine fabric weaving. By medieval, the word had taken hold in French as gaze. Named the thin, loosely woven fabric after the city. It reached English by medieval as gauze. Possibly named after Gaza, famed for fine fabrics. Today, gauze means a thin, loosely woven fabric, often used for bandages.

1. Stage 1 · Arabic · medieval Ghazza "the city of Gaza", the city of Gaza, a noted center of fine fabric weaving.
2. Stage 2 · French · medieval gaze "a thin, sheer fabric", named the thin, loosely woven fabric after the city.
3. Stage 3 · English · medieval gauze "a thin, loosely woven fabric", possibly named after Gaza, famed for fine fabrics.