tank

Where does the word "tank" come from? It comes from Gujarati/Marathi tanka, passing through Portuguese before entering English (1600s-1700s).

Tank’s story begins in Gujarati/Marathi: tanka meant “a water reservoir.” An underground reservoir for storing water. By 1500s-1600s, the word had taken hold in Portuguese as tanque. Adopted and reinforced through Portuguese colonial contact in India. It reached English by 1600s-1700s as tank. The armoured vehicle took the name in 1915 to disguise it as a water tank. Today, tank means a large container for storing liquid or gas, or an armored military vehicle.

1. Stage 1 · Gujarati/Marathi · medieval tanka "a water reservoir", an underground reservoir for storing water.
2. Stage 2 · Portuguese · 1500s-1600s tanque "a water reservoir", adopted and reinforced through Portuguese colonial contact in India.
3. Stage 3 · English · 1600s-1700s tank "a large container for storing liquid or gas", the armoured vehicle took the name in 1915 to disguise it as a water tank.