grape

Where does the word "grape" come from? It comes from Frankish krappô, passing through Old French before entering English (1200s).

Grape’s story begins in Frankish: krappô meant “hook.” A hook, the same root as 'grapple'. By medieval, the word had taken hold in Old French as grape. First a hooked vine-knife, then the bunch cut with it. It reached English by 1200s as grape. Replaced Old English 'winberie', wine-berry. Today, grape means a small juicy fruit growing in bunches on a vine.

1. Stage 1 · Frankish · ancient krappô "hook", a hook, the same root as 'grapple'.
2. Stage 2 · Old French · medieval grape "bunch of grapes", first a hooked vine-knife, then the bunch cut with it.
3. Stage 3 · English · 1200s grape "a single berry of the vine", replaced Old English 'winberie', wine-berry.