hammock

Where does the word "hammock" come from? It comes from Taíno hamaca, passing through Spanish before entering English (1500s-1600s).

Hammock’s story begins in Taíno: hamaca meant “a hanging bed.” A hanging bed woven from plant fiber. By 1500s, the word had taken hold in Spanish as hamaca. Columbus noted Taíno hammocks in 1492; European navies later used them for sailors' beds. It reached English by 1500s-1600s as hammock. Adopted for use aboard ships and in tropical settings. Today, hammock means a hanging bed or couch made of fabric, rope, or netting.

1. Stage 1 · Taíno · pre-1500s hamaca "a hanging bed", a hanging bed woven from plant fiber.
2. Stage 2 · Spanish · 1500s hamaca "a hanging bed", Columbus noted Taíno hammocks in 1492; European navies later used them for sailors' beds.
3. Stage 3 · English · 1500s-1600s hammock "a hanging bed of fabric or netting", adopted for use aboard ships and in tropical settings.