pergola

Where does the word "pergola" come from? It comes from Latin pergula, passing through Italian before entering English (1650s).

Pergola’s story begins in Latin: pergula meant “a projecting shelter.” A projecting eave, a shed, related to a structure providing shade. By 1600s, the word had taken hold in Italian as pergola. Settled in Italian for a garden structure with a lattice roof for climbing plants. It reached English by 1650s as pergola. Italian 'arbour', from Latin 'pergula', a projecting roof. Today, pergola means an outdoor garden structure with a framework roof, often supporting climbing plants.

1. Stage 1 · Latin · ancient pergula "a projecting shelter", a projecting eave, a shed, related to a structure providing shade.
2. Stage 2 · Italian · 1600s pergola "a garden structure with a lattice roof", settled in Italian for a garden structure with a lattice roof for climbing plants.
3. Stage 3 · English · 1650s pergola "an outdoor structure with a lattice roof for climbing plants", Italian 'arbour', from Latin 'pergula', a projecting roof.