tussore

Where does the word "tussore" come from? It comes from Sanskrit tasara, passing through Hindi before entering English (1600s).

Tussore’s story begins in Sanskrit: tasara meant “a weaving shuttle.” Named the weaver's shuttle. By medieval, the word had taken hold in Hindi as tasar. Shifted to mean the wild silk woven with such shuttles. It reached English by 1600s as tussore. British traders adopted the word for the coarse Indian wild silk. Today, tussore means a coarse, naturally tan-colored silk produced by certain wild silkworms.

1. Stage 1 · Sanskrit · ancient tasara "a weaving shuttle", named the weaver's shuttle.
2. Stage 2 · Hindi · medieval tasar "wild silk", shifted to mean the wild silk woven with such shuttles.
3. Stage 3 · English · 1600s tussore "a coarse, natural-colored silk from wild silkworms", British traders adopted the word for the coarse Indian wild silk.