muslin

Where does the word "muslin" come from? It comes from Arabic Mawsil, passing through Italian and French before entering English (1600s).

Muslin’s story begins in Arabic: Mawsil meant “the city of Mosul.” The Arabic name for the city of Mosul, a textile trading center. By medieval, the word had taken hold in Italian as mussolina. Named a fine cotton fabric after the city. From there it passed into French as mousseline by 1600s. The French form that carried the fabric's name into European trade. It reached English by 1600s as muslin. Named after Mosul in Iraq; fine Dhaka muslin was prized in 1700s Europe. Today, muslin means a lightweight, plain-woven cotton fabric.

1. Stage 1 · Arabic · medieval Mawsil "the city of Mosul", the Arabic name for the city of Mosul, a textile trading center.
2. Stage 2 · Italian · medieval mussolina "a fine cotton fabric", named a fine cotton fabric after the city.
3. Stage 3 · French · 1600s mousseline "a fine, lightweight fabric", the French form that carried the fabric's name into European trade.
4. Stage 4 · English · 1600s muslin "a lightweight, plain-woven cotton fabric", named after Mosul in Iraq; fine Dhaka muslin was prized in 1700s Europe.