sommelier

Where does the word "sommelier" come from? It comes from Latin sagma, passing through Old French and French before entering English (1849).

Sommelier’s story begins in Latin: sagma meant “pack-saddle; a pack-load.” A word for a pack-saddle, later extended to the load it carried. By 1200s, the word had taken hold in Old French as sommaille. Developed from the pack-load sense into a word for baggage in general. From there it passed into French as sommelier by 1680s. Narrowed from an officer in charge of a household's provisions to specifically its wine. It reached English by 1849 as sommelier. Borrowed for a restaurant's trained wine steward. Today, sommelier means a trained and knowledgeable wine steward, especially in a restaurant.

1. Stage 1 · Latin · ancient sagma "pack-saddle; a pack-load", a word for a pack-saddle, later extended to the load it carried.
2. Stage 2 · Old French · 1200s sommaille "baggage", developed from the pack-load sense into a word for baggage in general.
3. Stage 3 · French · 1680s sommelier "the officer in charge of a household's wine", narrowed from an officer in charge of a household's provisions to specifically its wine.
4. Stage 4 · English · 1849 sommelier "a restaurant's wine steward", borrowed for a restaurant's trained wine steward.