tapir

Where does the word "tapir" come from? It comes from Tupi tapira, passing through Portuguese and French before entering English (1770s).

Tapir’s story begins in Tupi: tapira meant “a large forest mammal.” Named the large, long-snouted forest mammal. By 1560s, the word had taken hold in Portuguese as tapir. Tupi 'tapi'ira'. From there it passed into French as tapir by 1600s. Passed into French natural history writing describing New World animals. It reached English by 1770s as tapir. First recorded in English in 1774, perhaps by way of French naturalists' 'tapir'. Today, tapir means a large, herbivorous mammal with a short, flexible snout, found in the Americas and Southeast Asia.

1. Stage 1 · Tupi · pre-1500s tapira "a large forest mammal", named the large, long-snouted forest mammal.
2. Stage 2 · Portuguese · 1560s tapir "a large, pig-like forest mammal with a short trunk", Tupi 'tapi'ira'.
3. Stage 3 · French · 1600s tapir "a large, hoofed mammal with a flexible snout", passed into French natural history writing describing New World animals.
4. Stage 4 · English · 1770s tapir "a large, herbivorous mammal with a short trunk-like snout", first recorded in English in 1774, perhaps by way of French naturalists' 'tapir'.