shawl

Where does the word "shawl" come from? It comes from Persian shal, passing through Hindi/Urdu before entering English (1600s).

Shawl’s story begins in Persian: shal meant “a woven wrap.” The Persian word for a woven wrap. By medieval, the word had taken hold in Hindi/Urdu as shawl. Adopted for fine woven wraps, especially from Kashmir. It reached English by 1600s as shawl. Kashmir shawls were a fashion craze in Europe around 1800. Today, shawl means a piece of fabric worn over the shoulders or head for warmth or decoration.

1. Stage 1 · Persian · medieval shal "a woven wrap", the Persian word for a woven wrap.
2. Stage 2 · Hindi/Urdu · medieval shawl "a fine woven wrap", adopted for fine woven wraps, especially from Kashmir.
3. Stage 3 · English · 1600s shawl "a piece of fabric worn over the shoulders", Kashmir shawls were a fashion craze in Europe around 1800.