1
Stage 1 of 4
laksha
Sanskrit · ancient
"resinous dye insect secretion"
named the resin that would eventually reach English as 'lac'
2
Stage 2 of 4
lakh
Hindi · medieval
"the resin"
carried the word toward Persian and European traders
3
Stage 3 of 4
lac
English · 1600s
"purified resin sold in flakes"
borrowed as the English name for the processed resin
4
Stage 4 of 4
shellac
English · 1713
"lac resin melted into thin flakes for varnish"
coined from 'shell' plus 'lac', translating French 'laque en écailles' (lac in thin plates)
Drag to pan · scroll to zoom