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Where does the word "tissue" come from? It comes from Latin texere, passing through Old French before entering English (1300s).
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Where does the word "tissue" come from? It comes from Latin texere, passing through Old French before entering English (1300s).
Tissue’s story begins in Latin: texere meant “to weave.” The root of 'textile' and 'text'. By medieval, the word had taken hold in Old French as tissu. Past participle of 'tistre', to weave. It reached English by 1300s as tissue. Biological 'tissue' dates from the 1800s; paper tissues from the 1900s. Today, tissue means a paper handkerchief; body cells forming a structure.
- Stage 1 · Latin · ancient texere "to weave", the root of 'textile' and 'text'.
- Stage 2 · Old French · medieval tissu "rich woven cloth", past participle of 'tistre', to weave.
- Stage 3 · English · 1300s tissue "rich fabric", biological 'tissue' dates from the 1800s; paper tissues from the 1900s.