plaid

Where does the word "plaid" come from? It comes from Scottish Gaelic plaide, and was adopted directly into English (1600s).

Plaid’s story begins in Scottish Gaelic: plaide meant “a blanket or cloak.” A blanket or cloak, later the checkered woolen cloth it was made from. It reached English by 1600s as plaid. Settled as the word for the checkered woolen pattern. Today, plaid means a checkered or tartan woolen pattern, or cloth woven in it.

1. Stage 1 · Scottish Gaelic · 1500s plaide "a blanket or cloak", a blanket or cloak, later the checkered woolen cloth it was made from.
2. Stage 2 · English · 1600s plaid "a checkered woolen pattern", settled as the word for the checkered woolen pattern.