raffia

Where does the word "raffia" come from? It comes from Malagasy rafia, passing through French before entering English (1880s).

Raffia’s story begins in Malagasy: rafia meant “the raffia palm and its fiber.” Named for the raffia palm whose leaf fibers were stripped for weaving. By 1700s, the word had taken hold in French as raphia. From Malagasy 'rafia'; the raffia palm has the longest leaves of any plant. It reached English by 1880s as raffia. Settled into English for the woven fiber itself. Today, raffia means a fiber from the leaves of the raffia palm, used for weaving baskets, mats, and garden ties.

1. Stage 1 · Malagasy · 1700s rafia "the raffia palm and its fiber", named for the raffia palm whose leaf fibers were stripped for weaving.
2. Stage 2 · French · 1700s raphia "the raffia palm genus", from Malagasy 'rafia'; the raffia palm has the longest leaves of any plant.
3. Stage 3 · English · 1880s raffia "soft palm fiber used for weaving and tying", settled into English for the woven fiber itself.