tube

Where does the word "tube" come from? It comes from Latin tubus, passing through French before entering English (1610s).

Tube’s story begins in Latin: tubus meant “pipe.” Related to 'tuba', trumpet. By 1500s, the word had taken hold in French as tube. English first used it in the 1590s for hollow passages in the body; the sense 'railway tunnel' dates from 1847. It reached English by 1610s as tube. London's 'Tube' dates from 1900; 'the tube' for TV from the 1950s. Today, tube means a long hollow cylinder.

1. Stage 1 · Latin · ancient tubus "pipe", related to 'tuba', trumpet.
2. Stage 2 · French · 1500s tube "pipe", English first used it in the 1590s for hollow passages in the body; the sense 'railway tunnel' dates from 1847.
3. Stage 3 · English · 1610s tube "pipe", London's 'Tube' dates from 1900; 'the tube' for TV from the 1950s.