Etymology Map
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Parachute

3 stages from Italian to English.

Today it means a device for slowing a fall

Where does the word "parachute" come from? It comes from Italian parare, passing through French before entering English (1785).

1
Stage 1 of 3
parare
Italian · 1700s
"to shield"
an Italian verb meaning to ward off, as in 'parasol'
2
Stage 2 of 3
parachute
French · 1700s
"parachute"
'para-', guard against, plus 'chute', fall; coined by Jean-Pierre Blanchard around 1785
3
Stage 3 of 3
parachute
English · 1785
"safety canopy"
first used for drops from balloons; military paratroopers date from the 1920s
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Read the full story

Parachute’s story begins in Italian: parare meant “to shield.” An Italian verb meaning to ward off, as in 'parasol'. By 1700s, the word had taken hold in French as parachute. 'para-', guard against, plus 'chute', fall; coined by Jean-Pierre Blanchard around 1785. It reached English by 1785 as parachute. First used for drops from balloons; military paratroopers date from the 1920s. Today, parachute means a device for slowing a fall.