silk

Where does the word "silk" come from? It comes from Chinese si, passing through Greek before entering English (medieval).

Silk’s story begins in Chinese: si meant “silk.” The Chinese word for the fine fiber produced by silkworms. By ancient, the word had taken hold in Greek as serikos. Adopted along the Silk Road trade routes. It reached English by medieval as sioloc. Possibly from Greek 'Sēres', the silk people of China, via a Baltic or Slavic form. Today, silk means a fine, soft fiber produced by silkworms, woven into luxurious fabric.

1. Stage 1 · Chinese · ancient si "silk", the Chinese word for the fine fiber produced by silkworms.
2. Stage 2 · Greek · ancient serikos "silken, from the Seres (Chinese) people", adopted along the Silk Road trade routes.
3. Stage 3 · Old English · medieval sioloc "silk", possibly from Greek 'Sēres', the silk people of China, via a Baltic or Slavic form.